SF 485 
.R47 
1919 
Copy 1 



pooey HOUSES 



yifw: 



Mm^mMmm 





WELL-PLANNED HOUSES ON POULTRY PLANT AT U. S. GOVERNMENT EXPERIMENT FARM 



The planning and location of houses are subjects worthy ol the poultry keepei 
tical, helpful suggrestions will be found in the above views on the poultry plant t 
at Beltsville, Md. 1 — Colonv house for growing stock on range. J—CocKerei n 
4 — Colonv house for growing stock in woodland. 5 — Gable-roof breeding house, 
(breeders or layers) on range. 7 — Compartment house for layers or breeders, t' 



Host careful attention. Many prac- 
he U. S. Department of Agriculture 
e. 3 — Portable colony hover house. 
— Portable house for adult stock 
house at right. 



POULTRY HOUSES 
AND FIXTURES 



How to Lay Out Poultry Plants. Accurate Plans for Constructing Practical, 

Economical Laying Houses, Large and Small. Low-cost Construction 

for Back Yard Poultry Keepers. Colony and Portable Houses, 

Incubator and Brooder Houses, Administration and Other 

Special Purpose Buildings. Labor-Saving Interior 

and Exterior P^ixtures and Equipment 



FULLY ILLUSTRATED 

EIGHTH EDITION 



PRICE, $1.00 



Copyright liy . 
RKI.IABI.F. rolLTRY JOURNAL PUBLISHING COMl'ANV 
Quincy. Illinois 
1919 



PUBLISHED BY 

RELIABLE POULTRY JOURNAL PUBLISHING COMPANY 

QUINCY, ILLINOIS. U. S. A. 









CONXENTTS 



INTRODUCTION 

CHAPTER I 
Locating and Planning Poultry Houses 7 

CHAPTER II 
Economical Back Yard Poultry Houses 25 

CHAPTER III 
Houses for Commercial Laying Flocks 34 

CHAPTER IV 
Laying Houses to Meet Special Conditions 45 

CHAPTER V 
Comfortable Houses for F)reeding Pens 57 

- CHAPTER VI 
Portable Colony and Brooder Houses 65 

CHAPTER VII 
Permanent Brooder Houses 70 

CHAPTER VIII 
Practical Incubator Houses 79 

CHAPTER IX 
Administration and Other Special Buildings 83 

CHAPTER X 
Interior Fixtures and Equipment 91 

CHAPTER XI 
Exterior Fixtures and General Equipment 104 

Index Ill 



)CI.»5I2820 



25 1919 



INTRODUCTION 



CC'l'LTRY houses correctly planned and built are 
vitally important to the success of every poultry 

HJBM enterprise, whether it is to be established on a 

=™B8 large or a small scale. While such houses must 
(if necessity be comparatively plain and simple in design, 

they also must meet certain definite conditions to be gen- 
uinely practical. Regardless of size, every such building, 

for whatever purpose intended, must provide not only for 
the comfort and well-being of the fowls, but also for the 
convenience of the caretaker. And it must do this always 
at moderate cost. 

To be able to design a house that will meet these truly 
important requirements, calls for much practical experi- 
ence, for a Avide knowledge of what others have tried 
and found satisfactory — or unsatisfactory — along the same 
lines, and finally, for some knowledge of the general 
principle^ of architecture. It is small wonder if begin- 
ners and even experienced poultry keepers, make innumer- 
able mistakes in their building operations — mistakes that 
must be corrected at heavy expense or remain as perma- 
nent handicaps to their future success. 

Under such conditions there is an unquestioned need 
for a book that shall present, in a fairly comprehensive 
manner, the best that is available in practical up-to-date 
plans conservatively designed to meet the requirements of 
poultry keepers wherever located. It was to supply this 
need that "Poultry Houses and Fixtures" was published, 
the first edition of which was issued in 1897, and which has 
been revised from time to time to keep pace with the 
rapid developments that have taken place in this branch 
of poultry science since that date. In point of fact, this 
development has been so rapid and so radical that in this 
latest revision it has been found necessary to employ new 
plans and new descriptive matter almost exclusively 
throughout all sections of the book. 

.\s the completed work now stands we believe that it 
meets the requirements of practical poultry keepers to a 
degree unequalled by any similar publication. It contains 
complete and thoroughly tested plans for each type of 
house that is likely to be required for the use of fowls, 
fixtures and general equipment have received special atten- 
tion and we have taken advantage of the opportunity 
afforded by this revision, to supply a chapter presenting 
clearly and in much detail, the general principles of poul- 
try-house design and construction, so that the individual 
builder, even though he may have had little or no personal 
experience, will be able to weigh with reasonable accu- 
racy the respective merits of the different plans, as they 
relate to his particular requirements, and also intelligently 
to make such modifications as his individual conditions 
may render desirable. 

The changes in approved types of poultry houses that 
have taken place in recent years have been particularly 
marked in the case of those provided for laying and 
breeding flocks. When "Poultry Houses and Fixtures" 
was first published, warmth in winter was regarded as of 
the first importance in such houses, and all details of con- 
struction were designed p.imarily to "provide summer con- 
ditions in winter." without which profitable egg produc- 
tion was regarded as out of the question. These houses 
were liberally supplied with glass and often were provided 
with sloping fronts, skylights, and double walls carefully 
packed with insulating material. All of these added great- 
ly to the cost and, as we now know, are entirely unneces- 
sary and may even prove injurious to the fowls. 



Experience has shown that closed-front houses are 
almost invariably poorly ventilated, damp, and unsanitary 
in winter, and that fowls in them are especially liable to 
colds, roup, and other diseases directly traceable to such 
cimditions. For this reason, and also on account of the 
extra cost of building such houses, their popularity soon 
waned and in some sections, notably New England, 
scratching-shed houses of the type illustrated on page 34 
came into vogue for a time. The scratching-shed house 
gave the fowls much better conditions in the daytime 
but, with mistaken kindness, still provided a "warm" place 
for them at night, the place being, as a rule, a dark, in- 
adequately ventilated "dungeon" so obviously objection- 
able from a sanitary viewpoint that the popularity of the 
scratching-shed house was never more than local. It 
served chiefly as a stepping stone in the change from the 
old-fashioned warm house to the present curtain-front or 
open-front type which undoubtedly meets the require- 
ments of adult fowls more nearly than any other now 
known. 

The practice of using houses with open fronts or 
curtain fronts has become almost universal in the last 
few years, and it is only under peculiar conditions that 
closed-front houses are now regarded as practical. 
While the terms "open front" and "curtain front," as ap- 
plied to poultry houses, are used rather indiscriminately, 
the former, strictly speaking, refers to a front the greater 
part of which is left open at all times. The "curtain 
front" also has large openings, but these are provided 
with curtains or cloth-covered shutters which can be 
closed in extreme weather. The "closed-front" house has 
all openings covered with glass sash. It is common knowl- 
edge now that fowls will lay well in cold houses so long 
as they are free from drafts and dampness, and nothing 
has done so much to reduce losses from disease and to 
make poultry keeping a practical, money-making industry, 
as the general adoption of fresh-air houses. 

No one person can claim the credit for the develop- 
ment of this method of poultry-house construction. It 
has been the gradual result of the experience and obser- 
vation of practical poultrymen in widely separated loca- 
tions, who have found that still cold is not a serious 
obstacle to winter egg production, and that the proper 
use of muslin curtains or muslin-covered shutters insures 
the best kind of ventilation, at the same time keeping the 
house as warm as it is possible to have it and secure the 
free ciiculation that now is generally regarded as abso- 
lutely essential to the health of the fowls. The famous 
Maine Station cloth-front poultry house, illustrated on 
page 35 was one of the first houses of this type to be 
built, and it has served as a model for thousands of others. 

Acting apparently on the belief that if a little fresh 
air is good, a great deal is better, some extreme types 
of open-front houses have been developed. These houses 
serve practically no purpose except to protect the hens 
from direct storms, the inside temperature being little if 
any higher than outdoors. These extremely cold houses 
appear to have been developed through a failure to real- 
ize that if fowls lay well in them they do so, not be- 
cause the houses are cold, but in spite of that fact. In 
other words, there is no advantage in exposing the hens 
unnecessarily to extreme cold. On the contrary, it is a 
distinct advantage to keep the house as warm as is pos- 
sible without interfering with proper ventilation. Sooner 
or later poultrymen who adopt radical open-front con- 



striiction are glad, as a rule, to provide muslin protection 
and to utilize it fully on occasion. 

The foregoing applies, of course, only to winter condi- 
tions in cold climates. For warm weatb.r ii scarcely is 
I ossible to provide too much ventilation. This is, in fact, 
one of the builder's most difficult problems— to secure 
sufficient ventilation in warm weather without making the 
house too cold for successful winter use — and in the 
north it calls for careful proportioning of window and 
muslin-covered surfaces to the total floor space enclosed. 
The building plans given in this book are conserva- 
tively designed with reference to the amount of glass 
and muslin-covered openings provided. These houses, as 
illustrated, are intended to meet the requirements of 
poultrymen in moderately cold climates. The only change 
that is necessary to adapt them to extremes, either of 
cold or heat, is to increase or decrease the size of the 
curtains. Glass windows are not required south of the 
Ohio River. Some poultry keepers far north of that lati- 
tude omit glass sashes, but as a rule it is doubtful 
whether it is true economy to do so. In all northern lati- 
tudes there are many cold, stormy days in winter when 
the curtains must be down, and the houses will be inade- 
quately lighted at such times unless some glass is provided. 
Muslin-front construction is applicable to laying and 
breeding houses, colony houses, portable houses, and 
brooding coops. For permanent brooder houses, which 
are used mainly in severe winter weather, conditioning 
houses, incubator cellars, etc., other and more suitable 
methods of ventilation are provided. 

The widespread popularity of the muslin-front house 
has resulted in a virtual standardization of poultry-house 
construction — one of the most encouraging developments 
in the industry. Uniformity and simplicity in house de- 
sign mean economy in construction and greater certainty 
of results than can possibly be achieved where there are 
no established standards to adhere to, andf where each 
builder feels the need of originating a special type of 
house to meet his particular requirements. 

There still is, and probably always will be. a tendency 
among beginners to try to work out original plans in poul- 
try-house construction, but it is one that, in the inter- 
ests of economy and efficiency, should be firmly repressed. 
The beginner can safely assume tfiat the essentials of 
poultry-house construction are now so thoroughly under- 
stood that approved general plans now require only 
slight modifications to adapt them to special requirements 
of location or climate, in practically all parts of tjie coun- 
try; also, that the advantages of adopting standard de- 
signs are so great that scarcely any practical condition 
will justify radical departures from them. 

Many new plans have been prepared expressly for 
"Poultry Houses and Fixtures," embodying, in each in- 
stance, only those designs and details that have been de- 
veloped and tested in practical, every day experience. We 
have attempted to present sufificient variety to meet the 
requirements of poultry keepers in all parts of the coun- 



try. Throughout the book, however, it will be seen that, 
so far ^s laying and breeding houses are concerned, we 
have kept close to certain clearly defined standards, so 
that there need be no confusion in the mind of the reader 
as to just what changes, if any, need be made in a given 
plan to adapt it completely to his own conditions, what- 
ever they may be. As a rule, complete bills of materials 
required in building the different houses are supplied, but 
no estimates of constiuction cost are given, or only in the 
most general way. Prices of all kinds of materials vary 
so widely at the present time that estimates of cost 
would serve no practical purpose. 

At the risk of seeming repetition we desire to im- 
press upon the prospective builder that, in poultry-house 
construction particularly, experiments are costly. Doubt- 
less there are possibilities for improvement in the best 
plans, but the brightest and most experienced poultrymen 
and women in the country have been studying the build 
ing problem for many years. In connection with the 
plans here given there is scarcely a modification or change 
that is likely to suggest itself to the beginner that has 
not been tried out many times and under many conditions, 
and rejected for good and sufficient reasons. It is com- 
mendable to be on the lookout for better plans^for ad- 
vanced ideas, but the practical conservatism that allows 
"the other fellow" to try out new things first, saves much 
disappointment and expense. 

The beginner, therefore, who carefully considers his 
needs and requirements, and then selects the house that 
most nearly meets his conditions and follows the plans 
literally from foundation to roof, will save time and money 
and he will be certain of having a building that will not 
disappoint him when put to practical test. 

In the designing and testing of poultry houses the 
various state agricultural experiment stations have taken 
a leading part in recent years. Much of the present stand- 
ardization in poultry-house construction, to which refer- 
ence has already been made, must be credited to this 
source. In "Poultry Houses and Fixtures" we have 
availed ourselves freely of the plans given in the various 
state and national government bulletins on the subject. 

In presenting plans and detailed descriptions from 
this source, personal credit has been given wherever pos- 
sible, but we wish here to express our especial indebted- 
ness for helpful suggestions and down-to-the-minute in- 
formation secured through direct correspondence with 
many of these government workers, each a recognized 
leader in the poultry industry, and each with special fit- 
ness for giving instruction in poultry-house design by 
reason of elaborate and long-continued experiments in 
this particular line. 

This edition of "Poultry Houses annd Fixtures" has 
been carefully edited by Homer W. Jackson, Associate 
"Editor of Reliable Poultry Journal, who has prepared 
many of theplans. and has furnished all of the text not 
dulv credited to other contributors. 



CHAPTER I 



Locating and Planning Poultry Houses 

Laying Out the Poultry Plant to Save Time aad Labor— How to Design Poultry Houses and Adapt Plans to Meet 

Special Conditions— Practical Building Suggestions That Insure Comfort and Health of Fowls at 

Reasonable Cost— Details of Carpenter Work Made Easy for Amateur Builders 



fi 



OWLS are highly adaptable with respect to the 
conditions under which they may successfully be 
kept. This is extremely fortunate, because the 
poultry keeper's choice of location often is nec- 
essarily determined by personal rather than by practical 
considerations. There are some conditions as to climate, 
soil, market, etc., that are conceded to be ideal for poul- 
try keeping, but it by no means follows that success is 
out of the question where these are lacking. On the con- 
trary, the great majority of successful poultry keepers 
have made good in the face of obvi- 
ous handicaps. Success, therefore, is 
not so much a matter of location as 
it is of intelligently adapting meth- 
ods to the particular conditions that 
are to be met. 

Consideration of the numerous gen- 
eral problems of poultry farm loca- 
tion does not come within the scope 
of this work. It is assumed that this 
■ nportant subject has received due 
attention here, and that the reader 
already has his farm or plot of 
ground, of whatever size, and wishes 
now to learn how he can utilize it 
to best advantage in the development 
of his poultry flock, locating and 
planning the buildings with a view 
to securing every practical conveni- 
ence, at the same time avoiding un- 
necessary expense. He will also want 
to learn how to avoid making mis- 
takes that may' prove to be serious 
handicaps in years to come. 

It may be well, however, to say that, where choice is 
possible, the poultry plant should have sandy or gravelly 
soil, for the sake of drainage. The ideal soil for the poul- 
try plant is sandy loam — sandy enough to be well drained, 
but fertile enough to hold a sod and produce quick- 
growing crops under cultivation. 

It is entirely practicable to keep fowls successfully on 
';lay soils, but intensive methods are not to be recom- 
mended under these conditions. Such soils are much 
more apt to become infected with disease germs and they 
require quite different treatment from the free and easy 
methods that are permissible on sandy soils. 

' Regardless of where the houses are located, good 
drainage is essential. There is no possible excuse for 
building where surface water can obtain access t6 the 
floor, or for locating the house in a place where standing 
water is present. If the desired location is low, it should 
be filled in and raised at least a foot above its surround- 
ing's. In damp locations a board floor three or more 
teet .above the ground is especially desirable, but do not 
make this elevated floor an excuse for building over a 
low, wet spot. Such a location is positively unhealthful 
and will certainly result in disease and heavy losses. 



sheltered from prevailing cold winds by an elevation or a 
strip of woodland, as shown in Fig. 1, gives the fowls a 
distinct advantage over others not so protected. Lacking 
such natural advantages planting windbreaks of evergreens 
should be one of the first steps taken toward developing 
a new poultry plant, particularly in locations that are 
exposed to high winds. 

As a rule, a southern or southeastern slope is de- 
sirable. This permits the houses to face the sun without 
being exposed to prevailing winds which, in most sections 




FIG. 1— WKLL 1.UCATKD I'UULTRY HOUSE. WITH OUTDOOR FEED HOPPER 
AND WATER BARREL 

It pays to provide neat, attractive poultry houses, located where the fowls 
will have plenty of shade and where they will be protected from storms. Con- 
venient equipment for supplying feed and water, as shown above, greatly re- 
duces the labor of caring: for the fowls. Photo from Purdue University. 

of this country, are from the west or southwest. .\ 
southern exposure is not to be regarded as imperative, 
however, under any and all conditions. Where the pre- 
\ailing winds are from soir.e other quarter, and in warm 
climafes where summer heat is more to be guarded against 
ihait winter cold, it will be much more satisfactory to face 
the house in some other direction. Even in the north, an 
eastern exposure is hy no means undesirable, though in 
this case all openings, yard doors as well as windows, 
must be suitably protected against the heavy storms that 
occasionally come from that quarter. 

All such considerations as these should, of course, 
receive attention in the original selection of the land, on 
which the poultry plant is to' be located. The position of 
the buildings themselves is, for the most part, determined 
by considerations of convenience and of economy in labor 
and time. 

Intensive or Extensive Methods 

The ainount of land required for developing a profit- 
able poultry plant depends t,ipon whether the plant, is to 
. be operated on the intensive or the extensive plan; that 
is, whether the fowls are to be confined to comparatively 
close quarters or are to have practically free range. One 
In the north every natural feature that will serve the. . to two thousand hens may be kept on one. acre of ground, 
pm:POse of a windbreak should be utilized to the fullest but the labor of caring for them is much greater than 
possible extent. A poultry plant or an individual house where more room is provided, and the danger frorn 



VT5' 






/'P^a.v^e /v7f- C}!~c:ii^j//i^ /iot^c-yf 





C- 




C: 




Vuvi' 




<iV.>=''' 




i^f 


fe.^ 




A' 


I? 


D 


a3 


<i.v^ 


c 


%.' 


/ 




^ 


%1*. 


/ 


^.y^ 


; 


c' 

;* 



^ ^:.^ %'■ ^.^ fe^ t' ^'' 

%„ " 4.- ^<- ^-'' ^--^ ^^ 

ffange -nfth Colony Hou.ees 

%. %.- 4" O C- ^^ C) 

1_J ^.o.^.-Efl CA-cA^ LZT' 






I I La|y1Hg| HOUSE I 



«-, 




° - ° l£. ,czrzjL.jL. 



:^ HrGHWAY 



FIG. 2— PRACTICAL GROUND PI^N FOR A LARGE COMMERCIAL POULTRY PLANT 
In the proportions here indicated this plan calls for about 10 acres, but it can readily be expanded or reduced to 
meet individual requirements without any material change in arrangement of departments. This sketch Is drawn to 
scale except the range, which is reduced at broken lines to keep within page limits. Chick nursery and home garden 
are to be alternated to keep the soil free from disease germs. Yards and pens are planned for 100-hen flocks but if Leg- 
horns are kept the flocks probably will be much larger and most of the division fences omitted. The orchard on the 
riKht side affords ideal quarters for breeding fowls and brooder chicks conHned to temporary yards when necessary. 
When the chicks are able to look out for themselves they are f. he transferred to the larger range in the rear. 



LOCATING AND PLANNING POULTRY HOUSES 



disease is much greater. Wherever it is possible, land 
enough should be provided so that the fowls will not have 
to be crowded, and so that other crops can be grown on 
the land at the same time. It is much more practical, 
more profitable, and far safer to provide ample acreage, 
utilizing the valuable fertilizer produced by the fowls in 
the growing of profitable crops of some sort. Intensive 
poultry keeping involves the supplying of green food by 
hand practically the year round; it also necessitates 
sweeping and cleaning the yards, constant and lavish use 
of disinfectants, and after all this is done, there still is 
great danger of soil contamination and the spread of 
various forms of disease. 

Such factors as the price of land, the extra labor cost 
of widely scattered flocks and other practical considera- 
tions, must all receive due attention in this connection, 
and the question of method can, in the last analysis, be 
answered only by each individual for himself. It will be 
helpful, however, to know that the general tendency 
among practical poultry keepers is toward a combination 
of intensive and extensive methods as suggested in the 
layout on page 8, or the one on page 11. In other 
words, the laying flock is kept in comparatively restrict- 
ed quarters, while the breeders and the growing stock are 
given all the room possible. Estimating land require- 
ments on this basis, 10 acres is little enough for 1,000 
hens, and IS acres is decidedly better. The estimate of 
10 acres is on the assumption that the soil is sandy and 
well drained. With heax'ier soil the acreage certainly 
should be increased. 

Planning To Save Labor 

No poultry plant can lay claim to being wisely 
planned, in which the labor problem has not received 
most careful study, and the cause of failure, in a great 
man}- instances, can be traced directly to unfortunate 
oversights along this line. In planning the layout and 
locating the buildings, therefore, the first consideration 
should be to secure every possible advantage to the at- 
tendant, in order to reduce the amount of travel involved 
in the daily care of the fowls, and to utilize natural re- 
sources, such as range, shade, water courses, etc , to the 
fullest possible extent. As local conditions enter largely 
into these matters, no hard and fast rules can be laid 
down, but the principal features of the ideal poultry 
plans illustrated on page 8 will be found adaptable to 
a great variety of locations. It is, therefore, worthy of 
close study. 

While this layout is designed to meet the require- 
ments of a "1,000-hen farm," it can, without material 
change, be expanded to meet the demands of a much 
larger plant, or reduced to the modest proportions of a 
poultry department to be operated as a side line on a 
farm or elsewhere. 

.•\s here illustrated, it has a frontage of about 500 feet 
and should have a depth of about 850 feet, the rear por 
tion being reduced for lack of space. These dimen- 
sions give approximately 10 acres and provide for a lay- 
ing flock of 900 hens, also for the necessary breeding 
stock, which should always be housed separately from the 
laying flock and given much more range than it usually 
is practicable to provide for the latter. Nursery space 
is provided for the brooder, chicks, range for growing 
stock, and abundant ground for supplying the house table 
with fruits and vegetables. The west side of the plot, 
from the driveway back at least as far as the north end 
of the yards, should have a row of quick-growing ever- 
green trees to act as a windbreak. 



This plan of locating buildings, yards, etc., offers 
many important advantages, such as easy access to the 
different buildings, limited fencing, few gates to open, 
and a comparatively limited amount of traveling in the 
daily care of the birds. 

In this layout, as in every practical plant, the poul- 
tryman's residence is taken as the center, the different 
departments of the work being located and planned with 
reference to distance from the residence and convenience 
of access therefrom. 

A tolerably liberal allowance for lawn has been made, 
because a well-kept lawn adds much to the attractiveness 
of the home and to enjoyment of it. Moreover, the lawn 
need not be waste land, but can be utilized for the young 
chicks throughout the brooding season. Neat outdoor 
brooders, hen coops, or even colony houses around the 
edge of the lawn, detract little from its beauty, and a 
smooth, evenly mowed grass plot provides ideal range for 
chicks during the first few weeks of their lives. 

With light, sandy soil it is practicable to raise chicks, 
year after year, on the same plot of ground, without 
danger from gapes or other chick diseases. In most 
instances, however, the poultiyman will find that much 
better results can be secured if his chicks are not brooded 
more than two years in succession on the same ground. 
In this diagram, therefore, two plots of equal size have 
been set aside, one of which is to be used as a chick 
nursery and the other as a kitchen garden, alternating 
them every two or three years, or as conditions require. 
A sod or permanent growing crop of some sort is desir- 
able on the plot used by the chicks, and with a little at- 
tention this may readily be secured, seeding the ground 
with a quick-growing lawn grass mixture, or with scarlet 
clover, alfalfa, oats, rye, rape, etc., as season and climate 
may dictate. 

At the rear of the lawn is located the barn, which 
should be of good size, as it is intended to furnish room 
for storage of feed, litter, etc. Being within easy access 
of all the houses, little labor is required in distributing 
supplies from here as needed. Except on large plants, 
the plan of using a centrally located barn for general 
feed storage will be found more satisfactory and more 
economical than building a separate feed house, it being 
understood that each poultry house is to be provided 
with suitable bins, boxes or metal containers for storing 
small quantities of grain for immediate use. 

If dressed market fowls are to form an important 
branch of production, a suitable room for dressing and 
packing them should be provided in the basement of the 
barn, where the incubator cellar also can conveniently 
be located, if provision is not made for the incubators 
in the house cellar or in a separate house such as the 
one illustrated and described in Chapter VIII. 

On the east side of the rear lawn may be located 
a permanent brooder house. Even where most of the 
chicks are to be raised in outdoor brooders or colony 
houses, a small permanent brooder house will be found 
convenient. Early hatched chicks can be brooded more 
conveniently and with less expense in a permanent house 
than in scattered colony houses. When the house is not 
needed for chicks, it may be utilized for many other pur- 
poses, being especially convenient for fattening surplus 
market birds, conditioning show specimens, or for any 
of the various other purposes for which temporary ac- 
commodations are required at more or less frequent in- 
tervals the year around. 

Next to the brooder house is located the home fruit 
garden, which, in the dimensions indicated, will furnish 
room for such small fruits as strawberries, raspberries. 



10 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



blackberries, grapes, etc., in sufficient quantities for the 
use of the average family. 

Location of Houses for Adult Fowls 

On the west side of the barn and a little back of it, 
reached by a continuation of the driveway which leads 
in from the street or highway, is located the main laying 
house. This house consists of nine pens, each 20x20 feet, 
with a capacity of about 100 hens, or 125, if Leghorns are 
kept. In the latter case, alternate partitions in house 
and yard may be omitted and the size of the flocks cor- 
respondingly increased and some expense saved. Double 
yards are indicated for each laying pen. These yards are 
to be used alternately by the flocks, the vacant ones be- 
ing planted to some quick-growing crop to provide green 
food. By shifting the hens back and forth, the growing 
crop (whatever it may be) will have an opportunity to 
renew itself, and an abundant supply of green food is in- 
sured during the greater part of the year, at practically 
no cost. 

Fruit trees should, of course, be planted in these 
yards, if there is no other shade, planting in triangles in- 
stead of squares, making the rows forty feet apart east 
and west, and thirty feet north and south. If desired, 
these rows can be double-planted with peach or other 
quick-growing trees. The amount of yard room may 
appear rather limited, but with double yards less room is 
required than would be needed where single yards are 
provided. On the subject of yard room for laying flocks, 
see Chapter XI. 

The plot north of the barn and east of the laying 
house can be utilized to best advantage for colonized 
breeding pens, or as range for the growing chicks after 
they no longer requ're artificial heat. This plot also 
should be planted to fruit trees. 

Back of the laying yards and the breeding range, the 
la"nd will be used for any crops that may be desirable, 
keeping in mind that this land is to serve as a range for 
growing stock, especially the pullets that are to be next 
season's layers and which, at this stage of their growth, 
need all the liberty that can be given them. 

In the corner of the lawn between the barn and the 
brooder house is located the hospital building. It is 
quite the fashion these times to advocate the indiscrimi- 
nate use of the hatchet for sick fowls, but the poultry- 
man who is anxious to conduct his business along really 
practical lines, will find that he can save a large sum each 



year by- the timely use of suitable remedies, for adminis- 
tering which a separate hospital building is needed. With 
a little prompt attention, fowls having various simple dis- 
orders or suffering from accidents, can quickly be restored 
to health, and with slight trouble. Of course, no practical 
poultryman .will return to his breeding flock any birds 
that have been sick, nor will he keep any that have con- 
tagious disease in any form. But fowls that have suffered 
from simple attacks of indigestion or some other similar 
ailment, can at least be held until in suitable condition 
to be sent to market. It is safe to say that, on the aver- 
age, three out of four sick fowls that are allowed to die 
or are dispatched by the hatchet, could be restored to 
health if they received proper treatment in time. 

A Layout for a One-Man Poultry Farm 

In Fig. 4 is shown another layout for a poultry 
plant. This has been prepared by the Massachusetts .'\g- 
ricultural College, and is intended to meet the require- 
ments of a "one-man, ten-acre poultry farm." It is de- 
scribed as follows; "This plan is especially designed for 
a farm sloping to the south or to the southeast. A row 
of large evergreens to serve as a windbreak is indicated 
as surrounding the farm, except on the south side, and a 
row is placed north of the laying house to furnish shade 
to young stock. The orchard consists of two and a half 
acres and is to be cultivated. It is intended to serve regu- 
larly as a brooding plot for late-hatched chicks and also 
as a run for the breeders during at least a part of the 
year. The portion labeled 'breeding department' is to be 
used for this purpose early in the season. The farm 
crops are to be alternated, the rotation being corn and 
poultry one year, and hay or pasturage the next. 

"Utilizing the cornfield as a run for growing stock is 
an excellent plan, as it furnishes shade and green food 
and protection, with plenty of loose soil for scratching. 
The plot at the rear of the farm between the hay and 
corn is for the production of succulent food for fall and 
winter use. 

"The barn recommended for use on this plant is 28x 
36 feet, one and a half stories high, and is intended to ac- 
commodate one horse, one cow, a shop, a feed room and 
room for killing, picking, and packing market fowls, and 
suitable tools and machinery. This plant is designed to 
accommodate 550 layers, four or five breeding pens, and 
to raise eight hundred to one thousand chicks. 

"Five hundred and fifty laying hens may appear to be 




FIG. 3— A GROWING ORCHARD AFFORDS FINE SUMMER RANGE FOR FOWLS 
Photo from Missouri State Poultry Experiment Station. 



LOCATING AND PLANNING POULTRY HOUSES 



11 



d rather small flock for one man to care for, but taken in 
connection with the growing of the young stock and the 
production of the various crops that can be produced on 
this land, will keep one man decidedly busy practically 
the year around and, with proper management, will pro- 
vide a safe, comfortable living." 

Details of Poultry House Design and 
Construction 

The general rule applied to the construction of live- 
stock buildings calls for one cubic foot of air space for 
each pound of live weight to be housed. This means that, 
for a six-pound fowl, only six cubic feet of air space are 
required, which would be provided in 
a house 18 inches high, allowing four 
square feet of floor space to each 
fowl. This way of stating air re- 
quirements is a little misleading, 
however, as fowls need much more 
air than other classes of live stock, 
in proportion to their weight. Prof. 
King, in "Physics of Agriculture,'' 
gives the following table, showing 
the a\-erage number of cubic feet of 
air breathed per hour by common 
farm animals: 

Cow 2804 cu. ft. for each 1,000 lbs. 
Horse 3401 cu. ft. for each 1,000 lbs. 
Swine 7353 cu. ft. for each 1.000 lbs. 
Sheep 7259 cu. ft. for each 1.000 lbs. 
Hen 8278 cu. ft. for each 1,000 lbs. 

The greater amount of air neces- 
.sary to meet the fowls' requirements 
must be secured either by providing 
for more rapid exchange of air in the 
house, or by increasing its cubic con- 
tents considerably beyond the dimen- 
sions called for in the general rule. 
In ordinary poultry buildings, how- 
ever, all air requirements are not 
only met but generally are much ex- 
ceeded, as will readily be seen by 
estimating the number of cubic feet 
in the average laying house with its 
7 to 9-foot ceiling. This excess vol- 
ume of air is of no real advantage to 
the fowls, and in cold weather is a 
handicap to them. Foi* this reason 
many attempts have been made to 

utilize extremely low houses, and repeated proof has been 
secured that, so far as the fowls themselves are concerned, 
they can he kept quite successfully in buildings no more 
than twri feet high'. 

In practical use, however, the poultry house has a 
double function to perform. It must not only give suit- 
able protection to the fowls, bat it is just as important 
that it provide for the convenience of the attendant and 
afford necessary facilities for economizing his time and 
labor. A clear appreciation of this fact will prevent 
many costly experiments and errors in design, and it 
ought also to aid in preventing the too-common tendency 
to economize in cost of construction by the omission of 
details that are required to make the labor of the at- 
tendant really efficient. 

The fact that height of roof is solely for the con- 
venience of the attendant does not make it an unimport- 
ant matter, but there are obvious reasons why the house 
should be built as low as practicable. A low house will 



be warmed to some extent by the bodily heat of the 
fowls, thus rendering it more comfortable in cold weather, 
while a high ceiling or roof wastes heat, causes drafts. 
and is more expensive to construct. In extremely warm 
climates high ceilings may be desirable as a means of 
making the building cooler, but the same result can be 
secured in other ways and at less expense. 

Cost of Building 

Under average conditions the cost of building laying 
houses shoiild not exceed $1.50 to $2.00 per hen, yards 
and labor included. With careful management and the 
use of low-cost materials, the cost may be kept within 



o 0> c>v 

1 ;;; ;;i; ;;;■;;; D 


N 


O {J> 0) 


(ZO 


i^i^jii'i i ;o 


UAMOOLDS 






^'r> 




CABBAGE 




HAY 












^'A 




O, DODO 








0} 


(7 

>J) EPJCEDIHO DEPARTl 

^A ^:^ G> O 




0) 

(EIIT f. 

r3 q'° 




0} 0) Q) 

Orchard 

Q 0> (3 
C3 (■■■ 


6> 


- 


[b] 


POULTRY 


1 1 1 1 1 1 


•J 


C) LAYIMS 


or 

7 


AHD 
HOME 


n 


Brooding 4 Gro«ij3g 

cti ^1) 03 


6) 


0) 


GAJEEH 
S 


CO 


O & '3 


G 



PLAN FOR L.\YING OUT A ONE-MAN, TEN-ACRE POULTRY FARJI 
Designed by Poultry Department, Mass. Agr. College. 

$1.00. Elaborate houses carry with them no advantage, 
aside from appearance. Instead, they usually develop 
disadvantages which do not exist in simple, plain con- 
struction. 

In some of the plans in this book the reader will 
find alternative methods of construction indicated or su;;- 
gested. What may be called the regular method aims at 
providing a substantial, durable building at moderate ex- 
pense. The "low-cost" alternatives suggested show how 
the same houses can be built at the lowest practicable 
first cost where the strictest economy is demanded. 

It is true that fowls may not be any more comforta- 
ble in a house with concrete foundation and floor and 
with No, 1 tongue-and-groove siding neatly painted, 
than in one with a dirt floor, with common sheathing 
boards covered with a good grade of roofing paper. With- 
out doubt, however, the latter style of construction will 
prove much more expensive than the former in a period 
of ten years, because of the greater amount of labor in- 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



volved in cleaning and renewing the dirt floor, and in 
the increased cost of repairs in the building itself. 

The man who is limited in capital is far too liable 
to make the common mistake of building "makeshift" 
structures. There are many conditions under which low 
cost of construction is practical and genuinely economical, 
but let all cost reductions be carefully considered to make 
sure that they are genuine economies and not the pound 
foolishness of penny wisdom. 




-CORRECT WAY TO DRAIN HOUSE SITE 
SLOPING GROUND 



What Materials to Use 



The kind of materials to be used will be decided en- 
tirely by relative cost, in most cases. Almost any kind 
of sound lumber can be used to good advantage in the 
poultry house, though it is well to keep in mind that the 
labor cost of working soft woods is much less than where 
hard woods are employed. It does not pay to purchase 
inferior material where inferiority affects durability, or 
where it involves serious waste. As a rule, however. 
cheaper grades of lumber can be used than would be 
advisable in larger buildings, especially where a substan- 
tial concrete foundation is provided and where, the sides 
are covered with prepared roofing. 

Second-hand material sometimes can be purchased to 
good advantage, and many poultrymen are able to pro- 
vide accommodations for their fowls at comparatively lit- 
tle expense by utilizing lumber from wrecked buildings, 
railroad cars, etc. Old railroad ties frequently can be 
used as sills, and in many similar ways the careful buyer 
can materially reduce his lumber bill. In making such 
purchases, however, keep in mind the fact that it costs 
a good deal more to build houses with second-hand lum- 
ber than with new lumber that can be purchased to exact 
size. The expense of getting the lumber separated and 
sorted, removing nails, sawing to size, and the resultant 
waste, all should carefully be estimated before buying 
such material. 

How to Order Lumber 

In planning poultry houses, special attention should 
be given to the dimensions of lumber as obtainable in or- 
dinary lumber yards. It would be unwise, for example, 
to plan a house 15x25 feet, under ordinary conditions, as 
lumber comes in even lengths and there would be con- 
siderable waste in cutting timbers to fit these dimensions. 
A house 16x24 feet will accommodate the same number 
of hens, and can be built with practically no waste in 
cutting the framing timbers and boards. Where the 
dimensions are in odd feet but in short lengths, it is 
possible to avoid loss by ordering double lengths. For 
example, in the case of a shed-roof building seven feet 
high in the front, five feet in the rear, and ten feet wide, 
fourteen-foot studding should be ordered for the front 
wall, ten-foot studding for the rear wall, and fourteen- 



foot pieces for the ends, each piece making two studs. 
The rafters will have to be twelve feet long, though 
eleven would answer. In this case it would not pay to 
order double lengths of twenty-two feet, as the price of 
timbers per foot, board measure, generally advances with 
lengths exceeding sixteen feet, and this advance would 
e.xceed the saving in waste. 

In the preparation of bills of materials for the plans 
shown in this book, the particular grade of lumber to 
be used is not specified, as much will depend 
on local markets and the preferences of the 
builder. For permanent buildings the grade 
known as No. 1 common will usually be speci- 
fied for rafters, sills and joists, and No. 2 for 
studs and plates. For trim lumber and siding 
No. 1 common will do, unless it is to be cov- 
ered with roofing paper or shingles, in which 
case No. 2 common may be used. For sub- 
floors and roof sheathing No. 2 common will 
answer. Sheathing boards for the roof should 
be surfaced on two sides; trim lumber should 
— be No. 1 common and surfaced on four sides. 
ON Where the surfacing must be done to 

order, and at extra cost, it may not be prac- 
tical to insist on this in all cases, but as it 
often is desirable to reverse boards in order to cut them 
to good advantage and to hide minor defects, it is desir- 
able to have exposed boards surfaced on all sides if pos- 
sible. Inside walls can be painted or whitewashed at less 
expense if smooth, and prepared roofing will last longer 
when laid on a smooth surface. 

Dimensions of the Laying House 

In planning the laying house, about four square feet 
of floor space is required for a hen, where flocks of one 
hundred or thereabouts are provided for. In mild climates 
where the hens do not have to he confined to the house 
for long periods, an allowance of three feet per fowl will 
prove sufficient. If the flock is quite small, five square 
feet should be provided, and in the case of breeding stock, 
six to eight feet per fowl is recommended. 

The height of the front must be proportioned to the 
depth in order to get sufficient pitch to shed rain, also 
lo admit sunlight to the back part. The latter, however, 
is not regarded 
so essential as it 
was a few years 
ago, and many 
practical poultry- 
men now are 
building houses 
16 to 24 feet 
wide with what 
is known as a 
combination roof 
(see Fig. 23). 
in which the 
front is seldom 
more than about 
seven feet high. 




PIG. 6 — SQUARING A CORNER 



Obviously, this will not admit sunlight 
to the back part of the house, even though the openings 
are carried clear up to the rafters. As an offset to this 
the practice of installing small windows in the rear wall 
under the droppings platform is becoming popular (see 
Fig. 37). Such windows, while they do not admit 
direct sunlight, make the back part of the house light 
and more attractive to the fowls. 

The extent to which the sun's rays will be admitted 
to the poultry house in different seasons of the year, with 



LOCATING AND PLANNING POULTRY HOUSES 



L3 



windows placed 4, 6 and 7 feet high, respectively, is clear- 
ly shown in Fig. 7, on this page. In the wintertime, with 
the window 4 feet high, direct sunlight will never reach 
farther back than 9 feet from the front (see dotted line). 
With the window 6 feet high it will penetrate to li'/t 
feet (see line of dashes), and at 7 feet it will reach the 
rear of a 16-foot house (see solid line). In the summer- 
time when the sun is higher in the sky, the penetration 
will be much less, as shown by the second series of 
lines. 

It should be understood that in each case these lines 
represent extreme penetration, which lasts for but a short 
time, and occurs only when the sun is rising or setting 
and when the rays have comparatively little power. Pro- 
vision for securing direct sunlight on all parts of the 
pen floor, therefore, is practical only to a limited extent, 
and the advantage of doing so probably is very slight. 
It is much more practical to be sure that the window 
and shutter openings are placed so as to light and ven- 
tilate the house properly and conveniently, without ex- 
posing the fowls to diafts. and without being too greatly 
exercised over the theoret- 
ical advantages of "flooding 
the house with sunshine." 
The height of the house, 
as has already been sug- 
gested, is determined 
chiefly by the require- 
ments of the attendant. 
The rear or north wall sel- 
dom need be more than 
five feet high, and where 
prepared roofing is used, 
the front need not be over 
seven or seven and a half 
feet, up to a width of 
twelve feet. If fourteen to 
sixteen feet wide, the front 
should be eight feet high, 
where a shed roof is provided, and about nine feet with a 
twenty-foot house. For a width of sixteen feet or over, 
a combination roof generally is recommended, usually 
with a seven-foot front and a ridge about nine feet high. 
In order to insure a dry floor it should be six inches 
to one foot above the ground level, whether it is of earth 
or concrete. If a board floor, it should be elevated at 
least one foot above the ground level, and in damp loca- 
tions, three feet or more. When the house is built on 
sloping ground, the site should be leveled, with a ditch on 
high side, to drain the water off after rains (see Fig. 5.) 

Squaring the Foundation 

In squaring the foundation the method shown in Fig. 
6 will be found convenient and practical. In using this 
method three stakes (a, a, a) are driven at each corner, 
about one foot outside of where the permanent wall is to 
be located, and about three feet apart, connecting them 
at the top with strips of board (b, b) about four inches 
wide, after which a cord should be looped around small 
nails (c. c), driven into the boards, as indicated in draw- 
ing. The points at which the cord crosses itself repre- 
sents approximately the corners of the building. 

Now, taking one corner as a trial corner, measure 
from the point where the cords cross (d) to a distance of 
six feet on one side (e) and eight feet on the other (f). 
With these two dimensions secured the corner will be 
exactly square when the distance between the points e 
and f, measuring diagonally, is just ten feet. If the diag- 
onal line does not measure exactly ten feet, change the 




position of the nails holding the cord until the correct 
measurement is secured. With one corner established in 
this way, it is an easy matter to square up the others in 
a similar manner. The corner strips should remain in 
position until the frame of the building is up, so that no 
matter how many times the cord may have to be removed 
for convenience in construction, it will always exactly in- 
dicate the corners when looped over the nails. 
Concrete Foundations 

The foundation of the poultry house should be sub- 
stantial and well made. Only in the cheapest and most 
temporary structures is it advisable to build without a 
foundation, and there seldom is any economy in setting 
the house on wooden posts. If it is not desirable to pro- 
vide a solid concrete foundation, at least place the build- 
ing on concrete posts, which cost but little more than 
wood and are practically indestructible. ' 

Where the soil is firm, the simplest and easiest way 
to build a concrete foundation is to excavate a trench 
about eight inches wide and deep enough to extend below 
the frost line, filling in to the ground level with concrete. 

1 



Sun's rays froi 
/ April 21st to 
' Sept. 21st 



It Dec. 21s 



FIG. 7— DIRECT SUNLIGHT IN 



Where the 
is not firm, the 
trench should 
be wider to ad- 
mit form boards. 
Wherever practi- 
cable the trench 
should slope to the lowest 
point, from which a line of tile 
may be laid to provide outlet 
for any water that may ac- 
cumulate within or under the 
foundation walls. In damp 
locations it is a good plan to 
lay a line of two-inch tile 
underneath the foundation, all 
THE POULTRY HOUSE j »u u MJ- 

around the buildmg, or to put a 

few inches of coarse broken stone in the bottom of the 
ditch, starting the concrete wall on top of this. 

Where field stones are available, dig the ditch a foot 
wide and fill it in with stone to a few inches below the 
ground level, on top of which an eight-inch concrete 
foundation is to be placed. Under ordinary conditions the 
foundation should extend six to twelve inches above 
ground level, being built by the use of form boards spaced 
about six inches apart. See Fig. 8. Fig. 10 shows an- 
other method of building the foundation where a wide 
footing is desired. 

Where stone is easily secured, foundations of this 
material may be used at less cost than concrete. Stone 
walls should be about twelve inches wide, and should be 
carried down to the frost-line, and underdrained as de- 
scribed for concrete foundations. 

If wooden foundations are desired, cedar, locust, ca- 
talpa, or chestnut posts will be found most desirable. 
These should be placed at least two to three feet in the 
ground, and spaced not over eight feet apart. All wooden 
posts should be treated with creosote to prevent decay. 
There are few conditions, however, under which it is de- 
sirable or economical to use wooden posts. If a solid 
stone or concrete wall is considered too expensive, or if 
the building is to have a board floor elevated off the 
ground so that a solid foundation wall is not necessary, 
it will cost little if any more to provide stone or concrete 
posts than wooden ones. 

Where wooden foundations are used with earth 
floors, it is common practice to provide subsills of 2 by 



14 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



Xt°p °f 



6 <.r 2 by 8 planks. These are sunk into the ground some- 
what less than their entire width with the regular sills 
resting upon them. The purpose of the subsill is to keep 
the frame sill above the ground,. thus protecting it from 

decay to some ex- 
tent, and also pre- 
venting rats from 
flMISHlD FL'^Ps obtaining access to 
/••;<9"/A/5-CF the building. It 
FORn BOARD serves these pur- 
poses only imper- 
fectly at best, how- 
ever, and in prac- 
tical use has little 
to recommend it. 




FTG. S — CONSTRUCTION OP CON 
CRETE FOUNDATION 



Earth Floors 

Earth floors are 
vised in many poul- 
try houses, their 
chief recommendation being that they are inexpensive. 
Where earth floors are to be used, the house should have 
a solid concrete foundation if possible, carrying it up 
ten to twelve inches above ground level, the space en- 
closed being filled in nearly to the sill. 

In order to keep the earth floor dry and warm, there 
should be a layer of four or five inches of gravel or 
broken stone at the ground level, with earth filled in on 
top. Where such floors are used it is necessary to re- 
move all soiled mateiial at least once a year, and replace 
it with fresh earth brought in from outside, a laborious 
and expensive job. Hens confined on earth floors will 
soon form wallows that may reach to a depth of a foot 
or more, and it is extremelv difficult to keep the surtace 
of the floor smooth and even — another objection to this 
method of floor construction. 

Clay Floors 

Where stiff clay is. available, an excellent and inex- 
pensive floor can be made by filling in between the foun- 
dation walls with a few inches of broken stone, on top 
of which is spread a layer of two or three inches of clay. 
This should be wet down until it becomes pasty, and 
while in this condition sliould be thoroughly tamped, after 



which has been in use many years, giving complete sat- 
isfaction. 

Concrete Floors 

For general use no material is as desirable for poul- 
try-house flpors as concrete. It is indestructible, when 
properly made, is rat-proof, easy to clean and sanitary, 
and is. dry and warm when properly insulated. 

, There are various plans for constructing concrete 
floors, depending upon the nature of the materials avail- 
able, but under most conditions the method shown in 
Fig. 11 will be found satisfactory. Concrete floors 
should be six to twelve inches above ground level, de- 
pending upon the nature of the soil. In sandy or gravel- 
ly locations, six inches may be high enough, but in damp 
locations or on heavy soils, it is better to have the sur- 
face of the floor ten or twelve inches above ground level. 
Concrete floors should always be insulated to avoid 
dampness. As a rule, a layer of several inches of gravel 
or broken stone is sufficient. In especially damp loca- 
tions it is advisable 

to spread, one -ply, n r~l 

tarred paper on top '- 




-POUI.-IKY HOUSE WITH HARD 
CL.\Y FLOOR 



TOP OF 



of the stone or i"y.io" 
gravel filling, with OUTS/UB 



the concrete 
directly on t h i 
Concrete floors for 
poultry houses 
should be about 
two and one - half 
inches thick, with 
an additional half- 
inch topping of sand 
and cement. 

Where cinders are 
obtainable, they can 
be used in place 
of stone or gravel. 



which it is smoothed off and left to dry undisturbed. 
When dry, this layer of clay will be very hard, and if 
protected from moisture and not undermined by, rats, will 
last for many yea^s without. lenew^l or repairs. The 
house shown in Fig. 9. is, provided _ with a clay floor 



laid rORn 
B°ARD 



-V FiHisHEb n°°n 




FIG. 10— CONCRETE FOUNDATION 
WITH WIDE FOOTING 



both for the insulating layer and 
for the concrete base. A concrete floor of cinders is 
not as strong as when stone is used, but is warmer. Do 
not use fine ashes from the kitchen stove or the house 
furnace for this purpose, but the coarse cinders produced 
at mills and factories generally. 

In laying concrete floors, always provide expansion 
cracks by dividing the floor into suitable sections and 
cutting- through with a trowel or other instrument. A 
common practice in laying floors is to divide the surface 
into squares, and lay alternate ones, which are allowed 
to set before the remaining ones are filled in. Where 
this is done, the expansion cracks are- automatically taken 
care of. See Fig. 12. 

Do not attempt to economize on foundations and 
floors by skimping in" the thickness of the material or the 
percentage of cement, thus' securing a surface that will 
crack and give way in use. Neither is it wise to lay a 
concrete floor unless a suitable concrete foundation is 
provided to support the outer edges and to prevent rats 
from burrowing underneath. 

Concrete Slab- Floors 

A simpler method of providing a concrete floor for 
the poultry house is by the use "of a "concrete slab." The 
method of constructing this is described by Prof. F. C. 
Elford, Poultryman for the Dominion of Canada, as 
follows: 

"No trenches are dug for the foundations. The floor 
is laid upon the ground, top of the floor being from 10 
to IS inches above, the surrpuadjng lev.el. To form a 



LOCATING AND PLANNING POULTRY HOUSES 



15 



"slab," take enough boards to reach around the outside 
of the building. Boards one inch thic-k will do,, and as 
wide as the height of the floor above-the- surface. Set 
these boards on edge and stake them in position so that 
tlie inside of the boards is the exact size of. the house. 




FIG. 11— CORRECT METHOD OF LAYING CONCRETE 

FLOOR 

Concrete floor laid over a few inches of well-tamped 

broktn stone or grravel and a layer of tarred paper, will be 

dry and comparatively warm. Note method of anchoring: 

building to foundation by means of bolts. 

Level the top edges, and nail a six-inch board lightly to 
the top edge so that it will project in over the floor. 
In this six-inch strip bore holes every 6 to 10 feet to 
take a 5/^-inch bolt. These bolts are for the purpose of 
holding the sills and should- extend abovfe the finished 
floor far enough to go through a 2x4 scantling and leave 
room for a nut. When the heads of these bolts become 
secured in the concrete, remove the six-inch boards that 
hold the bolts in position so that the straight edge can 
be used to level the surface of the floor. 

"When the frame is leveled and secured, the stone 
may be filled in. This could have been dumped on the 
giound before with less trouble except that it might in- 
terfere with the leveling of the boards. 
Stone, brick, plaster or anything of a 
like nature should be used to fill up to 
about, two inches from the top of the 
floor. In filling in, there should be sev- 
eral inches left around the inside of the 
frame to allow for concrete being placed 
there to form the outer surface of the 
wall. Fill in with concrete to the inside 
(if the frame, and to within .34 or one 
inch of the finished floor surface. The 
finishing coat of cement is then put on, 
leveled with the straight edge to the 
top of the frame or retaining boards, 
and smoothed off with a trowel." * 



Board Floors 

Board floors' are used by many anil 
are satisfactory, especially where it is 
desired to have the floors elevated above 
the ground level. Board floors should 
always be elevated above the ground at 
least enough to allow the air to circu- 
late underneath, in order tO; insure dry- 
ness, also to give cats and dogs access 
to the enclosed space which, otherwise, 
is certain to become a. rat harbor. 

It is a decided advantage, in damp 
locations, to have the main floor raised 



closed on three sides with regular weatherboarding. .\s 
be less than three feet high, and preferably five feet, as in 
the house illustrated on page 52. Where the floor is less 
the house illustrated on page 52. Where the floor is less 
than three feet above ground, it is difficult to clean out 
imderneath, as should always be done at regular inter- 
vals. It also is quite inconvenient when the hens make 
their nests under the floor, as they usually insist on 
doing. For these reasons, if the wooden floor is raised 
only a short distance from the ground, it is better to 
enclose the space and keep the hens out. 

Board floors are liable to be cold and drafty unless 
carefully laid, and it usually. will be found best to double- 
board them, as shown in Fig. 14, with a layer of water- 
proofed building paper between the top and the sub- 
floor. The latter may consist of the cheapest boards, 
though large knot holes and decayed spots should be cut 
out or filled in with sound material, or covered with 
pieces of sheet iron or tin. It will add to the strength 
of the building if this sub-floor is laid diagonally. The 
top floor should always consist of tongue-and-groove 
boards, driven up tight together and well nailed. Port- 
able houses should always be provided with double board 
floors, with diagonal sub-floors which brace the building 
and prevent its being racked in moving. 

Framing the Poultry House 

There are various ways of framing the sills for poul- 
try houses, the one shown in Fig. 13 being most gener- 
ally used with board floors. . In such cases the inside sill 
will be notched to engage corresponding notches in the 
ends of the joists. A simpler plan, and one that calls 
for less sawing and is just as good for practical pur- 
poses, is to use one 2x8 sill, spiking a 2x4 on the inside, 
along the lower edge. Notch the joists so that they will 
rest on the 2x4, with the top even with the top of the 
2x8 sill. 




FIG. 12— PROVIDING EXPAN.SK i.\ .lul.MS 1 .\ tii.\( 
LAYING ALTERNATE SEi'TluNS 
Photo from Mo. State Poultry Exp. Station 



:kte floor by 



several feet. 

Where this is done, the foundation of the building usually 
consists of concrete or stone pillars, set jibout eight feet 
apart, and the space underneath the floor is tightly en- 

• E.\tract from Bulletin 87, Canadian Dept. bf Agriculture. 



In houses withf.solid foundations and concrete floors, 
the sill is of comparatively little importance, and usually 
consists of a single 2x4, or, in some instances, two 2x4s 
spiked together. Houses with concrete floors should be 
anchored, so that they cannot be shifted by the wind. 



16 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



For this purpose, half-inch bolts should be set in the 
foundation wall at intervals of about ten feet. These bolts 
should be about one foot in length, with washers for 
both ends. The bolts should be embedded in the con- 
crete, with the head down, and the threaded end extend- 
ing three or five inches above the top of the foundation, 
depending upon whether a single or double sill is to be 
used. This method of anchoring the sill is indicated in 

Fig. 11. The joists 
in board floors 
should always be 
bridged by the use 
of diagonal strips, 
is shown in Fig. 
15. which stiffen 
the floor and add 




greatly 
strength. 

Various 
are used 



FIG. 13 — FRAMING SILLS FOR 
BOARD FLOOR 



to its 

methods 
in con- 
structing the frame 
work. It is possible 
to frame a building 
very cheaply, especially where upright boards are used for 
the walls. Fig. 19 shows a cheap but practical frame, 
consisting of a single 2x4 sill, single studs at each cor- 
ner, with wall studs every five to ten feet to support the 
top plates and girders or stringers, one of which should 
always be provided midway between sill and rafter plate 
to stiflfen the walls and prevent warping of the boards 
used for siding. Under ordinary conditions, a building 
constructed in this way. with the outside covered with a 
good grade of prepared roofing, will answer, though it 
is too light for a permanent building or one of large size. 
Where tongue-and-grove siding is to be used, the 
method of framing illustrated in Fig. 16 is commonly 
employed, the wall studs being spaced two feet from 




LAYING A DRAFT-PROOF BOARD FLOOR 



center to center. Doubling studs at corners, doors, and 
windows, as indicated in illustration, is customary among 
carpenters, but rarely is necessary in poultry-house fram- 
ing. The horizontal plate shown in middle of back wall 
is to support the rear edge of droppings platform. 

The framing of a house with combination roof does 
not differ from a shed roof house except in the rafters. 



One method of framing these is shown in Fig. 17. 
The plan of supporting the ridge and preventing side- 
thrust by means of short tie pieces should prove entirely 
satisfactory with houses not over 16 feet wide, but where 
the width is 20 feet or over, especially if the house is 
a long one, the ties should reach substantially from front 
to rear plate to give strength, or they may be entirely 
omitted except at partitions, and a girder-and-post sup- 
port provided instead, as in cross section shown in Fig. 
73, page 42. 

Constructing the Walls 

For cold climates, also for permanent buildings, it 
will be found more satisfactory, as a rule, to use tongue- 
and-groove siding, which makes a tight, fairly draft- 
proof wall, and in a term of years will cost less for up- 
keep. Only under extreme conditions need the walls be 
ceiled. 

In all cases where a double wall is provided, special 
attention must be given to making the house rat-proof, 
as it is practically impossible to dislodge rats after they 
have once established themselves in such a building. If 
the house has a concrete foundation, and the first few 
inches of the walls are filled in with concrete, it will be 
impossible for the rats to obtain entrance. 

One method of constructing the walls of a poultry 




FIG. 15— BRIDGING JOISTS TO .STRENGTHEN FLOOR 

house is shown in Fig. 18, consisting of tongue-and- 
groove siding lined with paper, held in place with strips. 
In lining a new building the paper may be secured with 
less trouble simply by tacking it to the outside face of 
the studs before putting on the siding. This construction 
is practical and satisfactory where fowls do not have ac- 
cess to the paper. Where this is the case, no matter how 
carefully it is nailed on, they will soon tear it off. 

In some sections the poultry-house wall consists of 
sheathing boards covered with waterproofed building 
paper, over which shingles are nailed. This is excellent 
(^onstruction, but rather expensive. (See Fig. 20.1 

With most of the buildings illustrated in this book 
there is no necessity for bracing, except as indicated in 
special cases. However, where the house is to be ex- 
posed to severe winds, it is safer to put braces at 
all corners, and. in the case of long houses, to put in in- 
terior braces, locating them at partitions, so that they 
will not be in the way. 

Different Types of Poultry House Roofs 

The types of poultry-house roofs in common use are 
shown in Fig. 23. Choice between them is determined 
by the width of the building, the use to which it is to 
be put, and the personal preference of the builder as to 
appearance, etc. Shed roofs are by far the most com- 
mon, with gable roofs probably second in popularity. 
Monitor roofs are seldom used except where there is to 
be a passageway through the middle of the house with 
pens on each side. The combination roof is employed 
mainly on wide houses, the object being to secure suf- 
ficient pitch with minimum height. The semi-monitor 
roof provides a means of getting direct sunlight into the 
rear of the house in combination with a low front. 
.'\-shaped roofs are in use mainly on small colony houses. 
(See Fig. 52.) 



LOCATING AND PLANNING POULTRY HOUSES 



17 



The poultry-house roof must, of course, be water- 
tight, and should have sufficient pitch to carry off rain 
promptly. A common mistake made by amateurs is to 
provide too flat a roof. In such cases it is quite difficult 
to make the joints entirely watertight without the lav- 
ish use of roofing cement, and it is better to provide 
a good slope in order to make certain that there will be 
no trouble from this cause. 

Under ordinary conditions shed roofs are cheapest 
and most practical up to a width of about sixteen feet. 
Houses sixteen to twenty feet in width can be built with 
shed roofs, but combination roofs are generally preferred 




FIG. 16 — A SUBSTANTIAL FRAME FOR SHED- 
ROOF HOUSE 
This diagram shows in detail the ordinary 
method of framing a shed-roof house to be cov- 
ered with tongue-and-groove siding. The use of 
double timbers for sills, plates and corner studs Is 
optional. Reproduced from Ohio State University 
Extension Bulletin. 

for wide houses, as they provide sufficient pitch without 
making the front excessively high. 

Where a straw loft is to be provided, a gable roof is 
most satisfactory, giving it approximately one-third 
pitch. By one-third pitch is meant a roof in which the 
perpendicular distance, or the "rise" from the top plate 
to the ridge, is one-third the width of the house. For 
example, one-third pitch in a building twelve feet wide, 
would call for a ridge four feet higher than the top plate. 
Shingles should not be used where the pitch is less than 
one-third. Metal roofs are seldom 
used, as they do not last long, are cold 
in winter and hot in summer, and offer 
no special advantages. 

In some sections of the country it 
is customary to use unsurfaced sheath- 
ing boards for the roof, but the prac- 
tice is not truly economical. Prepared 
roofing will wear better on smooth 
surfaces; moreover, surfacing reduces 
the boards practically to uniform thick- 
■ ness, which is a distinct advantage. 
When unsurfaced boards are used 
there often are sharp corners resulting 
from joining boards of unequal thick- 
ness, which will quickly cut through 
the best of roofing fabric. The sheath- 
ing should be looked over carefully be- in.ioJn "'- 
fore the roof is laid, and all sharp cor-^GHouNo -^ 
ners should be smoothed off with a '-^^^'- 
block plane if the trouble cannot be 




-FRAMING HOUSE FOR COMBINA- 
NATION ROOF 

Note method of tying front and rear rafters to 
prevent spreading. In wide buildings many pre- 
fer to use girders under the ridge, with supporting 
posts. Reproduced from Ohio State University 
Extension Bulletin. 

corrected in any other way. See to it also, that there 
are no nail heads sticking up, and cover all knot holes 
and weak places in the boards with pieces of tin. In 
cold climates it pays to use T & G 
boards for sheathing, as the open cracks 
left between the edges of unmatched 
boards will permit serious waste of heat. 

The great majority of poultrymen use 
prepared roofing, and this material is 
entirely satisfactory for the purpose, if 
of good grade. It seldom pays to use 
cheap roofing, especially tarred paper 
in which the upper or weather side is 
liable to shrink and draw away from the 
nails, making a weak place in the roof 
and causing its rapid deterioration. FIG. 18. — PAPER 

There are various methods of finish- LINED WALL 
ing the eaves of the roof, some of which are shown in. 
Figs. 21, 22, 24 and 34, A common method is to omit 
the eaves altogether, as in Fig. 22, simply lapping the 
roof down over the edges all around. This method of 
construction results in all the roof water running down 
the sides of the building, which may or may not be ob- 
jectionable. It is a cheap and easy method and makes 





PRACTICAL METHOD OF LOW COST CONSTRUCTION. 



18 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



the upper part of the building draft-proof 
but nothing can be said for it from the 
standpoint of appearance. 

The method of construction shown m 
t-'g. 24, in which the rafter is cut off 
square with the plate— the only eave pro- 
vided being a four or five-inch projection 
of the roofing boards— is simple, makes a 
tight joint all around and looks better than 
the method shown in Fig. 22. Where a 
wider eave is desired, the plan shown in 
I'lg- 21 IS satisfactory and can be secured 
with the minimum of labor in sawing and 
fitting the rafters. With this method it is 
necessary to notch the siding boards to 
secure a tight joint at the rafters. In some A. shed ro 
instances, this precaution is omitted and monitor 

the space between the top plate and the 
roof boards is left open for ventilation, but this practice 
IS not to be recommended, as it usually means a cold, 
drafty house in winter. 

A convenient way of providing an eave for a water- 
shed without extending the rafters is by laying a double 




FIG. 23 




FIG. 20— COLONY HOUSE WITH SHINGLED WALLS 

layer of shingles which project a few inches beyond the 
side of the building. If the sides of the building are cov- 
ered with prepared roofing, the upper edge should be 
lapped over onto the roof sheathing before the shingles 
are laid, thus making a thoroughly draft-proof joint. 

No provision has been made for eave troughs- or 
spouting either in the plans or bills of materials pre- 
sented in this book. It is highly desirable to provide 
such, however, especially along the fronts of permanent 
laying and brooder houses. When this is done the fowls 
and chicks will have a dry strip outdoors in rainy 
weather, of which they will make full use. When this 
provision is neglected, they invariably get badly soaked 
by the drip. If earth is graded up along the front for 
any reason, as in the case of a house located on sloping 



:-DIPFERENT TYPES OF POULTRY HOUSE ROOFS 



F A =hVi^^i i " '^S"^' °' Stable; D, monitor; E semi- 
F. A-shaped. Reproduced from Farmers' Bulletin 574 
U. S. Department of Agriculture. 

ground (see Fig. 5), the eave drip will soon wash the 
filling away, making access to yard doors more difficult 
from the outside, and may weaken the foundation or 
floor. 

Doors and Windows 

All poultry-house doors should be of ample size for 
ease in carrying in food, litter, etc., and in cleaning out. 
If the house consists of more than two pens, the door 
should be wide enough to admit a wheelbarrow Poultry- 
house doors, as a rule, may be of simple construction 
consisting of tongue-and-groove boards nailed perpen- 
dicularly, with a batten at top and bottom and a cross 
brace. If hung to swing out, such doors may be made 
storm-proof with little trouble. See Fig. 26. 

There are various types of yard doors in use, one of 
which IS shown in Fig. 25. This door slides up and 
down, and when properly constructed, will be found very 
satisfactory. Some will prefer to have these doors hinged 
to open on the side, and where this is done it will be 
more convenient, as a rule, to have them open out rather 
than in. •• 

Where passageways are provided, it is desirable to be 
3ble to operate the yard doors from the passageway by 
the use of cords and pulleys, in which case the door shoyvn 
in Fig. 29 will be found satisfactory. This door is hinged 
at the top and slopes back, so that when released it will 
drop into place by its own weight. It seldom is possible 
to arrange tight-fitting sliding doors that will not stick 
in wet weather. This sloping door, however, may be 
made fairly tight and can be depended upon to work at 
all times. While it can be pushed open from the outside 
It is not at all likely that any animal will do so, as it 
bears too close a resemblance to a trap. 

North of the Ohio River, windows are desirable in all 
types of poultry-house construction and should be prop- 
erly located and of sufficient size to furnish ample light 
and ventilation. A simple and satisfactory method of 
framing the windows is shown in Fig. 28. 

The bottom of the sill of this window is sixteen inches 
from the floor line, which is a satisfactory height, and in 




FIG. 21— RAFTER EXTENDED 
TO FORM EAVE 




-A ROOF WITHOUT EAVES 



FIG. 24— RAFTER CUT FLUSH; 

EAVE FORMED BY ROOF 

BOARD 



LOCATING AND PLANNING POULTRY HOUSES 



19 




"C/eof 



FIG. 25— SLIDING YARD DOOR 
This illustration shows position 
of door, which slides in grooves 
formed by siding, studs, and one- 
inch cleats. 



all cases where practicable, a two-sash window is recom- 
mended, as shown. There are various methods of plac- 
ing window sash, but none that are any more convenient 
or practical than where the upper sash is hinged to the 
lower so that it can readily be opened for additional ven- 
tilation. 

No special framing is required, aside from having 
two studs on either side of the window and allowing the 
siding to extend one inch beyond the studs. The lower 

sash of the window 

is held tight against 

at-ud the siding by a 

weather strip, and 

the upper sash is 

held in place by a 

hook or wooden 

button. The lower 

rail of the top sash 

and the upper rail of the lower sash should be sloped as 

shown, in order to make a water-tight joint. It pays to 

provide a substantial sill for all windows. 

Where a single sash is used, a convenient way to in- 
stall it is illustrated in Figs. 30 and 32, the latter 
showing the manner in which the sash is dropped when 
the window is to be opened. The sill (A) should be 
high enough above the floor to permit upper sash rail 
(F) to drop below inside edge of sill. B is a weather 
strip holding bottom of sash (E) in place when closed, 
while C holds the top rail. D is the side stud to which 

strip G is nailed, 
"-"P the purpose of the 

latter being to hold 
sash in place when 
it is opened. 

It is not desir- 
able to have win- 
dows down too near 
the floor. If low 
enough to let the 
hens see out, it will 
make them restless 
when they must be 
confined. Low win- 
dows also tempt the 
hens to huddle in 
the sunlight in front 
of the window, thus 
exposing them to 
drafts. 

When warm 
weather comes in 
the spring, the win- 
dows should be re- 
moved entirely in 
order to provide ad- 
ditional ventilation. 
For this reason the 
front of the win- 
dow opening should 
be covered with 54- 
inch poultry netting 
to keep the fowls 
in and to prevent 
sparrows from en- 
Poultry house doors should be hung: tering. If sashes 
to swing- out and not in. Door illus- ... , 
trated above closes tight against sill with large panes are 
and, with drip cap properly installed nrovided the inside 
over the top, is practically storm- Proviucu, ine insiuc 
proof. If no casing is used around the of the window also 
opening, door can be hung flush u u l j 

with siding. should be covered 



*/nja 







-DETAIL OP DOOR 
FRAMING 







17" 








l"xl« St-Hp 


n 












1' X 1' Strip. 



cleat.s. 
methoc 
back »: 



7— CON.STRUCTION OF YARD 
DOOR 
is built up of 4-inch T & G 
with edges bound by 1-inch 
An easier but less attractive 
is to nail 2-inch cleats across 

■ door at top and bottom. 



with netting in order to avoid breakage, which is liable to 
result from the fowls flying up against the windows. 

About one square foot of glass to fifteen square feet 
of floor space will be found ample for lighting the poul- 
try house. In cold 
climates it may be 
desirable to increase 
this to one foot in 
ten. More than this 
is not advisable un- 
der any condition. 
Sufficient light is 
provided by the 
proportion of glass 
just suggested, and 
anything in excess 
of this is not only 
an added source of 
expense, but is det- 
rimental, causing irregular temperatures. On bright days 
the large amount of sunshine admitted makes the pens 
unnecessarily warm, while at night the heat is radiated 
rapidly, creating a cold house, and condensing the moist- 
ure in the building, causing dampness or "sweating." 
The same objection applies to skylights. Being at the 
highest part of the room usually, they .allow warm air 
to escape, and in warm weather make the house hot: 
also, they almost invariably leak. 

In the case of houses sixteen feet wide or more, 
windows in the rear 
wall under the drop- 
pings platform are 
desirable. They light 
up what otherwise 
is a comparatively 
dark section of the 
floor, and where 
they are provided 
the troublesome ten- 
dency of the litter 
to work back to the 
rear of the room is 
checked. 

Muslin Shutters and 
Curtains 

The use of mus- 
lin shutters for ven- 
t i 1 a t i n g poultry 
houses is now well- 
nigh universal, and 
no better method is 
known. With the 
east, west, and north 
walls of air-tight 
construction, good- 
sized openings can 
be provided on the 
south side, giving 
the fowls ventila- 
tion, sunlight, etc.. 
with complete pro- 
tection from drafts. 
These openings are 
protected by mus- 
lin shutters or cur- 
tains, to be closed 
in stormy weather 
and at night. Mus- 




FIG. 28— CONSTRUCTION OF 
WINDOW 
Sash closes tight against siding, 
which overlaps opening one inch all 
around, making a tight joint and re- 
ducing cost. Where the sashes come 
together, bevel the edges to slope out- 
ward and make water-tight joint, in- 
stead of leaving them level as shown 
in illustration. 



20 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




PIG. 29 — SELF-CLOSING 
YARD DOOR 



lin affords fairly good ventilation in cold weather, though 
it does not provide for a very rapid exchange of air in 
warm weather and is practically air-tight when wet. 

In order to get the best results with curtain-front 
houses, more or less adjustment of the curtains or shut- 
ters is required. Muslin 
retains a ■ great deal of 
heat when the sun is 
shining, even when the 
thermometer is very low, 
for which reason it sel- 
dom is necessary to keep 
the shutters or curtains 
closed on sunshiny days, 
even in the coldest 
weather. In stormy 
weather or on cold nights, 
^ however, there usually 
will be sufficient air cir- 
culation with the shutters 
down, and in such cases 
there is nothing whatever 
to be gained by leaving 
them open. 
In a properly constructed house there is little danger 
of fowls being injured by cold, so long as the temperature 
does not drop down to zero or below. However, the 
amount of cold that the fowls can stand without injury, 
or without having the egg yield affected, depends largely 
upon whether or not they have been properly accustomed 
to open-front conditions. 

For the section lying between the Ohio River and 
the Great Lakes, one square foot of muslin to ten or 
twelve feet of floor space generally will be found satis- 
factory for laying houses that are constructed as directed 
in this book. This is with the understanding that the 
shutters or curtains will be left open all the time jn warm 
weather, and when the sun is shining even in winter 
weather, so long as the temperature does not drop lower 
than ten to fifteen degrees above zero. In 
stormy weather or in lower temperatures, the 
openings must be closed. 

South of the Ohio River it is safe to omit 
all sash and increase the proportion of muslin- 
covered openings to one square foot to eight 
of floor space. Several different methods of 
installing fronts have been tried out, but noth- 
ing is as satisfactory as the use of frames 
made of 1x3 inch strips, and hinged at the top 
so that they can be" swung up inside and held 
out of the way by means of hooks and eyes. 
These frames, being of rather light con- 
struction as a rule, should not be too large. 
3x4, 4x4 or 4x6 feet are practical sizes. Noth- 
ing is better for covering than a good grade 
of heavy unbleached muslin. There is no ad- 
vantage in using waterproof muslin unless the 
opening is directly exposed to severe storms. 
The material used in the waterproofing closes 
the pores and practically defeats the purpose 
for which the muslin is used. 
FIG. 30. ,,,, ^, r 1 ■ . 

DROP Wnere the top of the openmg is consid- 

SASH IN erably below the rafter plate, a convenient 
PLACE way of hanging the shutter so as to have it 
entirely out of the way when open, is to 
use side strips long enough to reach to the plate, hing- 
ing them as shown in Fig. 31. 

With hinged shutters there usually is no way of ad- 
justing the size of the opening, the shutter being kept 



closed or wide open. In a house having several shutters, a 
degree of adjustment may be secured by leaving some 
closed, opening only as many as are necessary. One way 
of making the shutteis adjustable is illustrated in Chap- 
ter VII, on page 11. In this case the shutter is made 
in two parts, hinged together so that the upper part may 
be left open while the lower half is closed. Another 
method of securing an adjustable shutter is shown in 
Chapter VI, where the frame is arranged to slide up an/ 



I 



Tofi ;°/4*« 



f 



To^ o/S/,^t^t 




Shu ft eh 



1 



PIG. 31— MUSLIN-COVERED SHUTTER WITH 
EXTENSION RAILS 

down, and may be fastened at any desired height by 
means of a hook screwed into the top, and catching in 
the netting back of the shutter. 

The house shown in Fig. 34, one of the buildings 
on the Poultry Plant at the University of California, 
provides for an unusual degree of shutter adjustment. 
Each shutter is made in four narrow vertical sections 
hinged on the side to swing out. By opening one or 
more of these, any desired adjustment in ventilation may 
be secured. In windy weather the sections that open 
back against the wind can be fastened "in posi- 
tion to act as windbreaks. All the sections 
of a shutter are enclosed in a substantial frame 
which is hinged at the top to swing out. When 
fastened in the position shown on the right 
side of illustration, the shutter acts as a sun- 
shade. This style of shutter is well adapted 
for use where the summers are hot, or where 
wide variations in temperature make an 
unusual degree of adjustment especially de- 
sirable. 



Substitutes for Shutters 



E 



Where large openings are to have muslin 
protection, loose curtains are considered more 
desirable by many. As a rule, these are pro- 
vided with small metal rings at suitable in- 
tervals, top and bottom, these rings sliding on 
wires. With the curtains on the outside of 
the building, they do not flap much in the 
wind, but are simply blown back against the 
wire netting which encloses the opening. 
These curtains appear to last almost as long 
as the muslin on inside frames. The house 
>hown on page 49 is equipped with muslin 
curtains in the manner just described. 

One of the objections to the use of muslin shutters 
and curtains for ventilation is that they require frequent 
adjustment in changeable weather. Failure to open 
them on warm days, or to close them promptly when the 



LOCATING AND PLANNING POULTRY HOUSES 



21 



temperature drops suddenly in win- 
ter, may lead to more or less serious 
consequences. As a means of secur- 
ing ventilation without the necessity 
for making such adjustment, louvered 
ventilators (shown in Fig. 35) are 
recommended by the Missouri State 
Poulti'y Experiment Station. These 
ventilator openings are adapted in 
size to the dimensions of the house. 
For one having four hundred square 
feet of floor space and accommodat- 
ing one hundred to one hundred and 
twenty-five hens, the Missouri Sta- 
tion recommends four ventilators 
each three feet square. The hori- 
zontal slats are 1x6 inches, set at an 
angle of forty-five degrees. The dis- 
tance between each of the slats is one and one-half inches. 

It is claimed for these shutters that the storm will 
not beat in, while ventilation is unobstructed at all times. 
Ir practical use, however, it has been found that snow 

will sift through un- 
der some conditions 
and in exposed loca- 
tions there is trou- 
ble from drafts, for 
which reason the 
openings sometimes 
are fitted with mus- 
lin shutters for win- 
ter use. 

As a means of 
securing the ad- 
vantages of the Mis- 
souri shutter with- 
out the above-noted 
objections, the Poul- 
try Department at 
Cornell University 
has originated the 
Cornell Wind Baf- 
fler, illustrated in 
Fig. 36. In a house 
having approximate- 
ly five hundred 
square feet of floor 
space, three of these 
bafflers are recom- 
mended, making 
them three feet deep 
and cutting the slats 
27^4, inches long. 
Enlarged Cwoss Section g^cure the slats in 
place by nailing 
them through the 
side pieces, using 
No. S finishing nails. 
The bafflers, after 
they are made, are 
slipped into open- 
ings between studs 
suitably spaced and 
are held in place by 
a few small nails. 

The following bill 
. 33 — CROSS SECTION OF c i t, -n 

SHUTTER OPENING of lumber will sup- 

siding to overlap stud one ply material for 
inch on each side to make a tight *i,"„„ , ,.„j u_ffi„,„ 
joint around shutter. three wmd bafflers 





-LAYING HOUSE WITH DIVIDED SHUTTERS 
Photo from University of California. 

of the dimensions just noted, which will provide sufficient 
ventilation for a house 16x30 feet. . 

11 pieces, y% inch x 3 inch, 16 feet long. 
6 pieces, J^ inch x 1}4 inch, 16 feet long. 
1 piece, 9-16 inch x 4 inch, 10 feet long. 
1 piece, 9-16 inch x 4 inch, 12 feet long. 
One serious objection to both the Missouri shutter 
and the Cornell wind baffler is that neither one admits 
m.uch light, for which reason it is necessary to provide 
considerably more window space than is required where 
n;uslin shutters are used. 

Rear Wall Ventilators 

In poultry houses that are equipped with muslin 
fronts or slatted openings, no other ventilation is required, 
except in hot weather, when rear ventilators, such as are 
shown in Fig. 27, page 22, will be found decidedly 
helpful. These ventilators extend the entire length of 
the building, close up under the eaves, and in the south 
may open directly into the room and may be made as 
much as twelve inches wide. The perches, however, 
should be far enough below the opening so that the 
fowls on the roost will not be in a direct draft. In the 
north this opening is made four to eight inches wide, 
and the wall and ceiling about the perches should be 
ceiled as shown. The ceiling boards should be of sound 
tongue-and-grooved stock and should extend from the 
underside of the droppings platform up the rear wall 
and along the rafters to a point twelve to eighteen inches 
in front of the outer edge of the platform. The ceil- 
ing must be carried around the rafter plate on short 
furring strips, reaching diagonally from the rear wall to 
the rafters, so that there will be no obstruction to the 
circulation of the air. The outside opening should be 
provided with doors that can be closed tight in cold 
weather. These doors may consist of inch boards of 
suitable width. They should not be over six to eight" 
feet long, as a rule, as they are liable to warp if too long, 
and in that condition will not close the opening tightly, 
which is quite important in cold weather. When glass 
sashes are provided under the droppings boards, these 
may be removed in hot weather, adding greatly to the 
cornfort of the fowls. For cross section of house equipped 
with rear ventilator, see Fig. 62, page i7, also see Chapter 
X for detail drawing. 

Straw Lofts 

In cold climates, straw lofts are especially desirable 
and well worth the additional cost of providing them. 
.\ practical type of straw loft is indicated in Fig. 79. 
This heavy blanket of straw not only retains warmth. 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




FIG. 35 — LAYING HOUSE WITH LOUVERED VENTILATOR 
Photo from Mo. State Poultry Exp. Station. 

making the house more comfortable in winter, but also 
makes it cooler in summer. The straw also absorbs 
moisture and helps to keep the house dry. Where straw 
lofts are used, louvered ventilator openings should always 
be provided in the gables, thus permitting the gradual 
passage of air through the straw and out at the gables. 
See pages 45 and 46 for plans for a straw-loft house. 

King Ventilating System 

In brooder houses and m buildings of special con- 
struction, where muslin fronts are not desired, the method 
of ventilation shown in Fig. 38, known as the King Ven- 
tilating System, will be found practical and satisfactory. 
In this the air is admitted to the intake near the ground 
and passes up between the inner and outer walls, where 
the building has a double wall, or in a specially provided 
flue in single-walled buildings, and thus enters the build- 
ing near the ceiling, as indicated by the arrows. A cen- 
trally located flue, the opening to which is about a foot 
above the floor, carries the foul air out through a louvered 
ventilator in the roof. Where this system of ventilation 
is adopted, the cross section of both intake and outtake 
should provide about four square inches per adult bird, or 

WIND SAFFLER 



4Hh 



passes f-hroufh ta/^/«K 



asj 



in that proportion. The air circulation is controlled by 
the adjustable doors at the top of the intake flues, and 
a door is also provided in the outlet flue near the ceiling, 
for supplementary ventilation in hot weather. 

Building Temporary Poultry Houses 

The labor cost of building poultry houses always 
amounts to a large part of the total expense, though this 
fact is often overlooked when the poultryman himself 
(Ices the work. In fact, the common tendency to place 
no money ^alue on special work done by the poultryman 
or his assistant leads to a great deal of wasted efTort. 
!t is a good plan, therefore, to form the habit of placing 
a definite valuation on time, either by the day or the 
hour, systematically charging the same against all work 
performed. This practice will bring about a very differ- 
ent estimate of the actual worth of things done and par- 
ticularly will be found to discourage temporary expe- 
dients, which invariably cost all out of proportion to 
their practical value. 

For example, in planning cheap, temporary buildings 
or shelters, the poultryman should consider not only the 
actual cost of materials, but of his labor as well, and also 
should make a careful estimate of the length of time that 




FIG. 36 — CORNELL WIND BAFFLER 



FIG. 37— KEAR VENTILATOR AND WINDOWS . 

House here illustrated is provided with rear venti- 
lator extending entire length of building, immediately 
under eave. Also has singie-sash windows next to floor. 
This greatlv improves the lighting under droppings plat- 
form, and with ventilators and windows both open in 
summer the house will be about as cool as it is possible 
to make it. Photo from Mo. State- Poultry Exp. Station. 

they may be expected to last, and the cost of keeping 
them in repair during that time. If this is done there 
will be vastly fewer of the makeshift structures that dis- 
figure so many poultry plants at present. There is no 
question about the fact that, under average conditions, a 
well-built, permanent house is cheaper in the long run 
than the succession of cheaper structures that would be 
required to answer the same purpose for the same length 
of time. It is not meant by this to condemn as imprac- 
tical, all temporary structures for poultry uses. There 
are many practical conditions under which these are re- 
(luired; but both sides of the matter should be looked 
into before making such investments. 

The poultryman who has decided that a temporary 
building is needed, should consider carefully the kind 
and quality of materials that are to be used in it. It is 
as impractical to use high-grade lumber or heavy roofing 
on a building that is only expected to last two or three 
years, as it is to use the inferior material or one-ply 
roofing on one that is expected to be permanent. In the 
one case material is wasted, and in the other, labor. In 
putting up temporary structures, true economy lies in 
placing a definite estimate upon the period for which they 
are to last and then selecting the cheapest suitable ma- 
terial which will give that length of service. 



LOCATING AND PLANNING POULTRY HOUSES 



23 



Hardware 

In the various bills of materials presented, the kind 
or quality of hardware required is not specified aside 
from a few details such as hinges, hooks, etc. A few 
general suggestions on the subject here may prove help- 
ful to the inexperienced. In setting up ordinary framing 
timbers 20-penny nails are regularly used, though a few 
40-penny spikes come in handy now and then. For nail- 
ing sheathing boards, T & G siding, and ^^-inch lumber 
generally, 8-penny nails are used. For rough, unsurfaced 
boards, which run one inch or over in thickness, it is 
better to use the 10-penny size. For i^-inch lumber, such 
as strips for cracks, etc., use 6-penny nails. Shingles are 
laid with 4-penny nails, galvanized if obtainable. Lathing 
nails (2-penny) are handy for a variety of uses and a 
few should always be on hand. Size mentioned above 
apply to either wire or cut nails, the former being em- 
ployed almost exclusively, as they are ^cheaper, easier to 
use. less liable to split the lumber, and more readily ob- 
tainable. 

There is little occasion for using casing or finishing 
nails in poultry-house construction, but when neat work 
is to be done they will be called for. In making shutter 
frames, feed hoppers and, in general, wherever thin lum- 
ber or narrow strips are to be employed, box nails which 
are of smaller diameter than ordinary nails of the same 
length, can be used with less danger of splitting the 
wood. Where they cannot be obtained it sometimes is 
practicable to use casing nails which also are of smaller 
diameter then headed nails. 

For attaching light-weight poultry netting to fences, 
etc., ordinary netting staples are satisfactory, but if wire 
heavier than 16 gauge is used it is better to get regular 
fencing staples. On shutter frames and generally where 
the lumber is liable to split, double-pointed carpet tacks 
are much more desirable than netting staples. They hold 
the netting securely and do not split. For tacking mus- 



latter have very thin heads and are hard to pull out when 
making repairs. For fastening doors, windows, etc., 
screw hooks and eyes are invaluable, and the 2-in. size 
is most convenient in a majority of cases. For adjusting 





FIG. 38— KING VENTILATING SYSTEM 

lin to frames, 4-oz. carpet tacks are heavy enough, but if 
duck or burlap is used it will be better to employ the 
8-oz. size. Cut tacks are preferable to wire tacks as the 



FIG. 39 — CROSS SECTION OP STRAW LOFT HOUSE 

swinging windows, various attachments are obtainable, 
but about the cheapest convenient plan is to use a suit- 
able length of light, flat-link chain, obtainable at any 
good hardware store. 

The various styles of hinges used about poultry 
buildings include butt hinges, with either tight or loose 
pins, T-strap hinges, and strap hinges. Butt hinges are 
employed on all narrow strips, frames, etc. As the 
screws which fasten these hinges in place are close to- 
gether and near the edges of the boards, they are quite 
liable to split out and it is not advisable, therefore, to 
use them if strap hinges can be employed instead. Loose- 
pin butt hinges are used only where it is desirable to be 
able to remove the hinged section without taking out 
screws, and where the hinges are in a vertical position. 
Be particular to specify tight-pin butts in hinges to be 
placed horizontally, as in windows, shutters, etc. For 
partition doors between pens, it is desirable to use dou- 
ble-acting hinges. The smaller hardware stores, as a 
rule, only handle the heavy, expensive Styles used in 
dwelling houses, but comparatively inexpensive ones are 
made and can be secured on direct order if the pur- 
chaser insists upon it. For large outside doors, strap 
or T-strap hinges are commonly used. If, the door is 
regularly framed, loose-pin butt hinges (4 to 5-inch size) 
may be used, but are more trouble to install. A 6 to 8- 
inch safety hasp usually is preferred to any other form 
of door fastener. 

Paint 

The_ improvement in appearance which results from 
having well-painted buildings would alone be a sufificient 
reason for painting all exposed wood work. In addi- 
tion to this, however, paint adds greatly to the, life of 
the building, particularly if cheaper grades of lumber are 
used. Such lumber will deteriorate rapidly if not pro- 
tected. It is true economy, moreover, to use paint of 
good quality, mixed with linseed oil, rather than to ap- 
ply cheap paint which always is composed of distinctly 
inferior materials. "Cold-water" paints, whitewash, etc., 
may be used and will add appreciably to the appearance 
of buildings, fences, etc., but have not the preservative 
value of good oil paint, and require renewal at more 
frequent intervals. 

"Whitewash can be made by slacking about ten 
pounds of quicklime in a pail with 2 gallons of water, 
covering the pail with cloth or burlap and allowing it to 
slake for one hour. Water is then added to bring the 



24 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



whitewash to a consistency which may be applied read- 
ily. A weather-proof whitewash for exterior surfaces 
may be made as follows: (1) Slake 1 bushel of quicklime 
in 12 gallons of hot water; (2) dissolve 2 pounds of com- 
mon salt and 1 pound of sulphate of zinc in 2 gallons 
of boiling water; pour (2) into (1), then add a gallon 
of skim milk and mix thoroughly. Whitewash is spread 
lightly over the surface with a broad brush." * 

A cheap and fairly satisfactory "paint" can be made 
by stirring Portland cement into skim milk until the 
mixture reaches the consistency of thick cream, when it 
can be applied with an ordinary paint or whitewash 
brush. It can be made in various tints by adding lamp 
black, Venetian red, ochre, and various other coloring 
substances as desired. 

Tools 

The poultry keeper usually does more or less of 
his own carpenter work, as he finds that, with a little 
experience, he can do satisfactory work, and at much less 
expense as compared with the cost of having it done by 
a carpenter. Most persons, however, make the mistake 
of attempting to do such work with a too-limited assort- 
ment of tools, or with tools of inferior quality. The 
poultry keeper cannot afford tij neglect providing a com- 
plete outfit of tools, and should have a regularly 
equipped workshop if at all possible. 

Attempting to do carpenter work without the proper 
tools, or with tools that are dull, rusty and generally un- 
fit for use, is not true economy under any condition. 

To be able to do any kind of construction work ef- 
ficiently, the following tools will be found practically in- 
dispensable: ax, hammer, hatchet, set of chisels, from 
% in. to 1^2 in-, mallet, brace and set of bits, 2 screw 
drivers, large and small, block plane, jack plane, spirit 
level, plumb bob, steel square, rip saw, crosscut or hand 
saw, compass saw, monkey wrench, pliers, oil stone, 2- 
foot pocket rule, portable iron vise, ^-pt. oil. can, chalk, 
chalkline, drawknife. 

In the shop there should be a good-sized carpen- 
ter's work-bench with a wooden vise, a bicycle grind- 
stone, and a small geared emery or carborundum stone. 
In order to be able to take care of the various repair 
jobs that often are called for about the average home 
• Extract from Farmers' Bui. 574. U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 




-SUMMER SHADES FOR OPEN FRONT HOUSES. 
Photo from Purdue University 



and poultry plant, a few metal-working tools will be 
found convenient, particularly a set of drill bits in small 
sizes: ^-in. and 1-in. cold chisels, metal or tinner's 
shears, medium-size pipe wrench; small set of S wrenches. 
The tools when not in use should be kept in a wall cab- 
inet provided with suitable shelves and hooks. It will 
aid in observance of the important rule of "a place for 
every tool and every tool in its place" if the cabinet is 
provided with glass doors so that if any tool is not in 
its proper place this fact can hardly escape notice. 

The foregoing list may appear to be a rather formid- 
able one, but on the average poultry plant every tool 
mentioned should pay for itself, in time and money 
saved, before the end of the first year. Having provided 
these tools see that they are properly cared for. If care- 
lessly used, left lying around, or put away while damp, 
they will deteriorate quickly and soon become compara- 
tively worthless. . It is true economy to get good tools 
and then keep them in good condition. This includes 
keeping all edged tools sharp. Dull tools are strength 
and time-wasters and usually result in much wasted ma- 
terial also. The grindstone should be operated by power 
if possible. If it must be turned by hand or foot it is 
doubly important to have a geared emery or carborundum 
stone for use where the ordinary grindstone cuts too- 
slowly. 

Plans Given in Other Books 

In order to present the subject of poultry house con- 
struction in such a manner as to meet the building re- 
quirements of the greatest number, it has been found nec- 
essary to limit the plans illustrated and described, to 
houses for fowls. Permanent brooder houses being an 
essential feature of every well-equipped poultry plant, 
these are fully represented, also a number of plans for 
portable colony houses which can be used for adult fowls, 
brooder chicks or growing stock. Those who are especi- 
ally interested in houses of the latter type, however, also 
in brooders, brood coops, chick runs, and chick-raising 
equipment generally, are referred to our books on "Arti- 
ficial Incubating and Brooding" and "The Chick Book." 
Plans for houses especially designed for ducks, will be 
found in our book on "Ducks and Geese." Houses for 
turkeys are described in "Turkeys. Their Care and Man- 
agement." See page 112. 

AN ANNOUNCEMENT 



.\i an early date, we expect to issue 
a book on "Poultry Plant Construc- 
tion," devoted primarily to the re- 
quirements of large plants. This 
book will give complete working 
olans, architect's specifications, bills 
of material, etc., for modern, down- 
to-date poultry houses of every kind 
j-equired on large breeding and com- 
mercial plants. It will be printed 
on extra-size pages, which will make 
it possible to reproduce plans on a 
scale large enough to biing out clear- 
ly all necessary details of design and 
construction. The need for a book 
of this character is unquestioned, and 
we anticipate a large demand for it. 
Announcement of exact date of pub- 
lication will be given later through 
the usual channels. 



CHAPTER II 



Economical Back Yard Poultry Houses 

Back Yard Poultry Keeping is Profitable When Well-Managed— Laying Out the Plant so as to Utilize Space to the 

Best Advantage and Protect Health of Fowls— Complete Plans for Building a Number of Inexpensive 

Houses — Avoid Makeshift Buildings — Even Low-Cost Houses May Be Made Neat and Attractive. 



a 



NDER many conditions the back-yard poultry may be made the basis for the development of an ex- 
flock can be made an important means of reduc- tensive poultry business that will enable the poultryman 
ing the high cost of living and may also be util- to drop less profitable or congenial employment and give 



zed as a source of revenue 

Where they are given proper care and attention, the 
number of fowls that can be kept on a small tract of 
ground is surprisingly large. Extremely intensive methods 
of poultry raising are not to be recommended for general 
adoption — especially for large-scale operations, but it is 
entirely practicable to follow this method on a small 
scale, and with good success. 

Where a back yard is available, a good-sized flock 
can be kept to excellent advantage, and the space pro- 
vided by the ordinary back 
yard can frequently be util- 
ized with more profitable re- 
sults in poultry keeping than 
in any other manner involv- 
ing no greater outlay. 

Few persons realize how 
much may be accomplished 
in the space of an ordinary 
back yard in the production 
of eggs and fowls for the 
home table. In one year, a 
dozen pullets or young hens, 
fed largely on scraps from 
the kitchen, should produce 
120 to 180 dozens of egg"-, 
having a market value of 
$50.00 or more, at average 
prices. If desired, it is prac- 
ticable to go a step farther 
and, in the space of the aver- 
age back yard, raise a few 
broods of chicks that will 
furnish spring and summer 
frys and roasting fowls for 
fall and winter use, thus 
keeping the table supplied 
with this delicious and whole- 
some meat a good part of 
the year and reducing the 
butcher's bill to a small frac- 
tion of what it otherwise 
would be. 

Fowls can be kept successfully in quite 
space, and where it is desirable to do so, the 



limited 
average 

back yard affords sufficient room for a flock large enough 
to form an important source of additional income through 
the sale of surplus eggs and fowls to the neighbors, many 
of whom will be glad of an opportunity to buy these 
special quality products, and will cheerfully pay an ad- 
vance over the ordinary market price for them. All the 
work of caring for such a flock may be done outside of 
regular work hours and the time will scarcely be missed. 
There are other ways of deriving an income from the 
back-yard flock, such as the production of standard-bred, 
exhibition-quality fowls and the sale of eggs for hatch- 
ing, also day-old chicks. Not only may substantial sums 
be realized in this way, but the experience thus gained 



his entire time to this interesting and comparatively easy 
work. Many of the most successful breeders of today es- 
tablished their prize-winning strains and laid the founda- 
tions for their success within the limits of an ordinary 
back yard. Remember however, that it is especially im- 
portant to avoid overcrowding where breeding fowls are 
kept in close quarters. 

Laying Out the Back Yard Poultry Plant 
There are various ways of laying out the back yard 
to accommodate a small flock of fowls, but one convenient 
manner of doing this is 
shown in Fig. 42. 

Special attention should 
be called to the fact that 
the back-yard poultry plant 
does not necessarily have 
to be an eyesore. The poul- 
try house can be built in a 
neat and attractive manner 
at only a slight increase in 
cost over ramshackle con- 
struction, and when this is 
done the owner is much 
more likely to retain his 
interest in the work. 

Temporary, inconvenient 
structures, hastily and care- 
lessly built, have been re- 
sponsible for poor results 
and for loss of interest in 
thousands of cases where 
suitable buildings would 
have encouraged the owner 
to continue in this most in- 
teresting and profitable 
work. A good illustration 
of neatness in back-yard 
poultry house construction 
is given in Fig. 41. It 
costs a little more to build 
in this manner than to put 
up a "shack," but when 
built such a house should 
require no repairs for many years and without doubt it 
adds substantially to the value of the property. 

Fig. 42 shows how the back yard can not only be util- 
ized for a flock large enough to supply the family table 
with eggs and fowls practically the year round, but also 
to produce a surplus for sale at good prices. This can be 
done without sacrificing the lawn and without making the 
back yard unattractive. 

This plan provides for a poultry house of three pens, 
each of which will accommodate twenty-five fowls. The 
amount of yard room allowed is comparatively small, but 
if the yards are regularly swept and occasionally spaded, 
they will keep clean and free from odor and, with proper 
care, the fowls will do as well as on free range. The 
lawn and the small, separately fenced plot in the rear 




FIG. 41 — AN ATTRACTIVE BA dK-YARD POULTRY 
HOUSE 

Even though only a very limited amount of room is 
available, it will pay to give the fowls an outdoor run. 
Above illustration shows how to make a small yard look 
neat and trim with but little trouble or expense. 



26 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



will provide room for raising pullets 
enough to renew one-half the flock 
each year. 

It is planned to utilize the lawn 
at the side and at the rear of the 
dwelling for brooding young chicks. 
If they are not kept here too long, 
and the brooders are moved at fre- 
quent intervals, the lawn will not be 
injured in any manner by such use. 
When the chicks are large enough 
to take care of themselves, they are 
to' be removed to the plot in the rear 
where small colony houses are pro- 
vided for them, and where they are 
to run until the pullets are ready to 
go into the laying pens in the fall. 
The cockerels can be kept here. also, 
until they reach broiler age when, 
ordinarily, they should be disposed 



tn — 




wv 










tMjuSU 


i-^^; — 


TRAP 
DOOR. 


WAXEFi - 






1 ^.' 


























-■ -Hir 




• f 


1 ■' 






P 


11 






\ . 




r 




\v : 




li 






'i. : 






c 


::.;=:^ 




. ■ '^ 








._...ii 


ii 






'i 










t 


-i 




1 "■■ ;"'.' 




^ 





3 i 


''£IU:!^^= 


==^^.i' 1 



PIG. 43 — FLOOR PLAN OF E 




FIG. 42 — PRACTICAL METHOD OF LAYING OUT BACK-YARD 
POULTRY PLANT 

This sketch shows how to lay out a good-sized back lot where chicks are 
to be raised, and laying or breeding fowls kept in sufficient numbers to make 
them a source of income. AA are outdoor brooders: B, the laying- house; C, C. L, 
outdoor runs for hens; D. S. colony houses; E. yard for growing stock after 
the young birds no longer need artificial heat; F. F, hedge on each side of the 
lot. affording windbreak and shade; G, the home garden. 



LEVATED POULTRY HOUSE 

of, the amount of ground provided 
being insufficient for raising large 
numbers of chicks to full size. 

As sketched in Fig. 42, there is to 
be a hedge on both sides of the lawn, 
and the garden plot is cut oflf from 
the lawn by a neat screen, to which 
poultry netting can be fastened if it 
is desired to make it chicken-tight. 
The fencing about the poultry yards, 
of course, will be wire netting, four 
to six feet high, depending upon the 
variety of the fowls kept. Fruit trees 
should be planted in the yards, but 
probably will not be wanted in the 
garden. Flower beds can be provided 
to suit individual taste, and if the 
plan is carried out as here indicated, 
the fowls will not interfere in any 
way with having a most attractive 
lawn, nor will they make trouble for 
the neighbors. 

In this plan the laying house is 
located at a convenient distance from 
the dwelling. It should be hidden by 
grouping shrubs in the rear, or by 
a grape trellis as shown. The vari- 
ous features of this back-yard poul- 
try plant are indicated by letter as 
follows: 

AA are outdoor brooders; B, the 
laying house; C, outdoor runs for 
hens: D, colony houses; E, yard for 
growing stock after the young birds 
no longer need artificial heat in the 
lirooders; F. hedge on each side of 
the lot, affording windbreak and 
shade: G, the kitchen garden. 

Many town and city poultry keep- 
ers do not have a lot large enough 
for a poultry plant of even the mod- 
est dimensions here shown, and must 
modify their lay-out accordingly. 
Some may even be reduced to the 
necessity of using no more space than 
is occupied by the house and yard 
illustrated in Fig. 41. and still may 
find both pleasure and profit in a 
well-managed flock. On the lot just 



ECONOMICAL BACK YARD POULTRY HOUSES 



27 




PIG. 44— SMALL ELEVATED POULTRY HOUSE. 

referred to, no chicks at all can be raised, but a good- 
sized laying flock is maintained by purchasing early 
hatched pullets in October, or by November 1st at the 
outside, and feeding heavily for eggs until production be- 
gins to drop off in the summer. Then the layers aie 
killed for table use, and a new flock purchased in the fall. 
The plot of ground here utilized probably is not over 
12 to 15 feet square but, as here utilized, will accommo- 
date a flock large enough to supply all the eggs that 
will be iLsed by an average family and enough more to 
pay the cost of all feed purchased. 

ELEVATED POULTRY HOUSE 

A Low-Cost House With Sheltered Exercising Room 

Underneath Affords Corriort for the Fowls 

All the Year. 

Where a small flock only is to be kept, simply to 
supply the home table with fresh, high-quality eggs and 
possibly a few young fowls for spring and summer frys, 
the house shown in perspective in Fig. 5 will be found 
convenient and economical to build. 
This house stands three feet above 
the ground, with the space under- 
neath closed on three sides, afford- 
ing a scratching pen for the hens at 
practically no additional cost. The 
space is reached from the floor above 
by an incline at the back. 

In order to make this house warm 
and free from drafts the floor should 
be doubled, the sub-floor consisting 
nf sheathing boards laid 'diagonally, 
then covered with good, waterproof 
building paper, and tongue - and- 
groove flooring laid over this. 

This house is to be built with plain 
boards nailed perpendicular and cov- 
ered with prepared roofing. The 
perches are along the west end. as- 
suming that the windows and open- 
ings face the south, as will usually be 
found most satisfactory. 

Ventilation is secured by providing 
a muslin-covered opening, also two 
small openings in the gable, which 
should be closed in the winter-time 
by tacking a heavy piece of cloth V 

over them, but left open in the sum- j-jq 



mer to make the house cooler and more comfortable. 
An entrance for the fowls may be provided in the front, 
if desired, but the rear trap door should always be avail- 
able for the use in stormy weather, when the fowls will 
remain below indefinitely rather than use an outside 
entrance. 

Fig. 43 gives a floor plan of this house, Fig. 45 gives a 
sectional view lengthwise, and Fig. 44 shows a general 
view. While the dimensions can be varied to suit in- 
dividual needs, the house as planned is 8x12 feet on three- 
foot posts. The walls are five feet high and the ridge is 
eight feet. It will accommodate twenty to twenty-five 
fowls, or even thirty in a pinch. The following bill of 
materials will be found sufficient to construct it: 

BILL OF MATERIALS FOR BACK Y-4RD POULTRY HOUSE 

Size L'grth No. of Bd. 

Use j„^h. Feet Pieces Meas. Remarks 

Sills 2x6 12 2 24 

Sills 2x6 8 2 16 

Joists 2x6 8 4 32 

Joists 2x4 8 15 

Studs 2x4 10 5 33 1 piece cuts 2. 

Plates 2x4 12 3 24 

Plates 2x4 8 4 21 

Support for drop- 
pings platform.... 2x4 8 1 5 ' 

Window sills 2x4 8 1 5. Surfaced and 

milled. 

Perches 2x4 8 2 11 Surfaced, upper 

corners rounded. 

Rafters 2x4 10 7 47 1 piece cuts 2. 

Sheathing boards...lxlO 640 

Matched flooring.. ..1x4 .... .. 175 

3M squares prepared roofing. 

100 s. f. sheathing paper for floor. 

2 plain rail window sashes, H4-in., 6-light, 10xl2-in. glass. 
20 s. f. of 1-inch inesh poultry netting. 

101/2 s. f. of muslin. 

8 4-inch locust or cedar posts, 5V2 ft. long. 
1 pair S-in. T-strap hinges. 
1 door latch. 

3 pairs 2-inch butt hinges. 

1 chain sash adjuster. 

2 2-inch hooks and eyes. 
Nails, paint, etc. 

With a little more expense, the house can be built with 
tongue-and-groove siding nailed horizontally. Trimmed 
neatly and given a couple of coats of paint, it may be 
made very attractive in appearance and will last a life- 
time. 




-LENGTHWISE SECTION OF ELEVATED HOUSE 



28 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



HOUSE FOR ADULT FOWLS OR BANTAMS 

A Practical House for Small Back- Yard Flocks. Has 
Muslin Ventilation, and Well-Protected Perches. , 
Just Right for a Pen of Bantams. 

By E. L,. POTTER 

The drawings at the foot of this page illustrate a 
convenient and practical house suitable for a small back- 
yard flock of eight to ten fowls. This house will prove 
especially convenient for a bantam flock, though it may 
be used for large fowls with entirely satisfactory results. 
The curtains in front of the perches should be omitted, 
as they are of little use except in extremely cold sec- 
tions of the country or for fowls having extra-large 
combs. If this house is used as a colony house, it will 
accommodate twelve to fifteen Leghorns, about twelve 
fowls of larger breeds, or twenty bantams. It may be 
built for a small sum, depending somewhat upon the 
locality and the price of lumber. 

In our climate this house has proved warm enough, 
but in cooler climates I would advise the use of thin 
sheathing or ceiling, nailed on over a tar-paper lining, 
or the house may be covered on the outside with roofing 
material, placing the strips on up and down and using 
bands on the seam.s, or simply cementing the edges and 
nailing it on in the usual way. Following is the com- 
plete bill of materials required for building this house: 

13 pieces of either 2x3-inch or 2x2-inch spruce for tlie 
sills, joists, corner posts and intergirts, also rafters. 

3 pieces, IVaxl-incli furring, 14 feet long, for frame of 
screens and supports for nest bases and roosts. 

1 piece, 2-inchx3-inch furring, 14 feet long, for perches. 
350 feet of tongue-and-groove flooring, either pine or 
spruce. 

4 pounds of 8d wire nails. 

221/2 feet of one-ply prepared roofing. 

1 gallon of paint. 

2 .sashes (6-in. x 8-in. lights), 2 ft. 6 in. x 2 ft. 6 in. 
110 feet of 2-inch mesh poultry netting if yard is to be 

covered on top, or in case of only a fence, 94 feet 
will be enough. 
2 pounds of staples. 



4 pieces, 3-inch x 1-inch furring, 12 feet long, for top 
of yard posts. 

6 pieces, 3-inch x 8-inch cedar posts. 

2 pieces, 3-inch x 1-inch furring, 13 feet long, for gate. 

2 6-inch x 1-inch spruce boards, 12 feet long, for bot- 
tom of wire. 

2 G-inch x 1-inch bo- rds, 18 feet long, for bottom of wire. 

The muslin screens in the upper part of the front 
are movable and should preferably be hung from the top 
on hinges, so that they can be hooked up out of the 
way when not in use. In this house the windows should 
be hinged at the bottom so that they can be dropped in 




[G. 46— CROSS SECTION OF HOUSE FOR 20 FOWLS 

Reproduced from Ohio State University Extension 

Bulletin. 



from the top for additional ventilation and during warm 
weather should be entirely removed. 

In a house as narrow as this it is diflficult to use 
muslin shutters without exposing the fowls to direct 
drafts when on the perches, and for this reason it would 
seem that the perch curtain should not be omitted. A 
practical method of protecting the fowls from drafts un- 
der such conditions is to fasten the curtain in the posi- 
tion shown in the diagram, so that it will act as a screen. 



Flcok Pun ScHLE-'i'-l 



PtAf/s Of PoUlTHY Mouse 




ffiWi^J 



OeTAiLsOrCAre 
■scalC f-f 



DerAiLS ScM.t{-"^i' 



FIG. 47— COMPLETE PLANS FOR BUILDING SMALL HOUSE FOR LAYERS OR BANTAMS 



ECONOMICAL BACK YARD POULTRY HOUSES 



29 



without confining the fowls or seriously restricting ven- 
tilation. 

For numerous plans for small, portable houses which 
also are adapted to the requirements of back-yard poul- 
try keepers, see Chapter VI. 





FLOOR PLAN OF HOUSE FOR 20 FOWLS 



A HOUSE FOR TWENTY FOWLS * 
An Attractive House for Small Back-Yard Flocks. Prac- 
tical and Complete in Every Important Detail. 

The house shown in Figs. 46, 48 and 49 has been de- 
signed especially to satisfy the needs of the poultryman 
who J<eeps only a small flock for the purpose of produc- 
ing poultry and eggs for the home table. It provides suf- 
ficent room for twenty fowls. 

This house is also well adapted for use as a breeding 
house. If equipped with heavy runners and a board floor, 
it makes a convenient colony house which may be moved 
easily by one team from one part of the farm to another. 



A TWO-PEN HOUSE FOR BACK-YARD FLOCK 



ing purposes. One house, in which the stove is set, is 
used as a nursery room. The other house, which is heat- 
ed only by the warm air from the nursery which passes 
through the runway, provides a well-ventilated exercising 
and feeding room. 

BILL, OF MATERIALS 

Sills (doubled)— 84 linear feet, 2x4 in. 

Plates — 48 linear feet, 2x4 in. 

Studs — 8 pieces, 2x4 in., 6 ft. long; 8 pieces, 2x4 in.. 4 ft. 

long; 10 pieces, 2x4 in., 6 ft. long-. 
Rafters — 6 pieces, 2x6 in., 12 ft. long-. 
Outside sheathing — 280 feet B. M. drop siding. 
Roof sheathing — 130 feet B. M., 1x8 in. 
Thim lumber — 200 feet 1x4 in. pine, dress. 
For screens — 50 feet, 1x2 in. 
Two window frames with sash. 
Two squares prepared roofing. 
100 feet dressed and matched sheathing for ceiling back of 

perches and ovtrhead. 
This does not include roosts, brood coop. etc. 



A TWO-PEN BACK YARD HOUSE 
A Modern Curtain-Front Two-Com.partment House Es- 
pecially Well Adapted to the Needs of Back- 
Yard Breeders. 

A thoroughly satisfactory house, where two or more 
flocks are to be kept, is illustrated in Figs. 50 and SI. 
It can be built in any length, but is shown here with two 
pens. The house is twelve feet in depth and eighteen feet 
in length, making each pen nine feet wide and providing 
room for about fifty hens, or seventy-five in a three-pen 
house. Such a house as this should be built about seven 




FIG. 49— A HOUSE FOR TWENTY FOWLS— FRONT 

ELEVATION 

Reproduced from Ohio State University Extension 

Bulletin. 

If used as a permanent house, a concrete or tile floor 
should be used. Two houses of this size and type set 
close together and connected by a runway, may be used 
to good advantage with a colony brooder stove for brood- 



From Ohio State University Extension Bui., Vol. 12, No. 2. 



FIG. 51— FLOOR PLAN OP TWO-PEN HOUSE 

Nests are . placed under droppings platform. Perches 
are supported on cross bars, hinged at back to swing up. 
For details of construction of partition, nests, and water 
platform, see Chapter X. 



feet high in front and five feet high in rear, with shed 
roof and concrete wall and floor. The windows and mus- 
lin-covered openings are designed for a moderately cold 
climate, such as is found in the latitude of New York or 
Chicago. For use in colder climates the size of the mus- 
lin-covered openings should be somewhat reduced, while 



30 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




ECONOMICAL BACK YARD POULTRY HOUSES 



31 



for warmer climates they may be increased and the glass 
windows omitted entirely if preferred. 

This house, as planned, is to be built of tongue-and- 
groove siding, nailed to studs placed two feet on centers, 
and the rafters are to be cut off flush with top plate, and 
roof boards extended four or five inches beyond the side 
wall for eaves. Partitions should be made as in Fig. S3, 
which also gives a general idea of perch construction, 
droppings platform, nests, water vessels, etc. Fig. 51 
shows the floor plan. Whether the concrete floor shall 
be finished level with the top of the foundation, or 
dropped two or three inches below, as in Fig. S3, is 
largely a matter of personal preference. Dropping it as 
shown affords some additional protection for the sills in 
damp locations. 

To build this house (two pens) the following bill 
of material is required — totalling about 1,SOO sq. ft. of 
lumber. For three or more pens, materials will have to 
be increased proportionately. 

BILI, OF MATERI.\L,S FOR 12x18 FOOT L,,\YIIVG HOUSE 

Size Length No. of Bd, 

^'^ Inch. Fett Pieces Meas. Remarks 

Sills, sides 2x4 18 2 24 

Sills, ends 2x4 12 2 19 

Plates 2x4 18 2 24 

Studs, front 2x4 14 5 47 1 piece cuts 2 

Studs, ends' 2x4 10 5 33 1 piece cuts 2 

Studs, ends and 

headers 2x4 14 " " 

Studs, partition 2x4 14 

Rafters 2x5 14 

Support for drop. 

plat., front 2x4 IS 

Support for drop. 

plat., back 1x4 IS 

Perches 2x4 8 

Sills for windows. .2x5 6 

Sills for shutter 

opening 2x5 8 

Roof boards 1x10 

T & G siding: 1x6 

Flooring boards for 

drop'gs platform, 

doors, partitions 

and ceilings 1x4 

Facing, casing, etc. .1x4 
Outside dr. frai'ne..lx5 
Frame for muslin 

shutter 1x3 

Strip under shut- 
ters 1x21^ .... 

Strip under ■win- 

do"ws 1x1% 

Strips for small 

doors and win's. .1x1 

2% squares prepared roofing. 

4 plain rail window sashes, IV^-in., 6-light, 8xl2-in. glass. 
40 sq. ft. 1-inch netting for doors and ventilators. 
30 sq. ft. muslin for curtains. 

4 anchor bolts, i4xl2-in. with 2-in. washers on each end. 

1 pr. 8-inch T-strap hinges for outside door. 

1 pr. fi-inch hinged safety hasps. 

1 pr. 2-way spring hinges for partition door. 

4 pr. 2-inch butt hinges for muslin frames and windows. 

2 pr. 4-inch strap hinges for ventilator doors. 
2 chain sash adjusters. 



21 


Upper corners 




round, surfaced 




four sides. 


5 


Surfaced 4 sides 




and milled. 


7 


Surfaced 4 sides 




and milled. 


280 




410 




185 




160 


lin. ft. Surfaced 



25 



MATERIAL, FOR NESTS 



Us 



Front base 1x6 

Doors 1x7 

Partitions 1x11 

Base, back 1x4 

Strips for top of nests 1x2 

Bottom boards 1x12 

Running boards 1x4 

Uprights 1x4 

Brackets 1x3 



This house may be built more cheaply by omitting 
practically all studs and using rough boards nailed on up 
:.nd down, and covering the outside wall with a good 
grade of prepared roofing. 

A concrete foundation and floor are particularly rec- 
ommended for back-yard flocks, making them as shown 
in Fig. 11, so rats will be completely excluded. The house 
will be warm and dry and it can be easily cleaned and dis- 
infected. 



A-SHAPED BACK-YARD HOUSE 

This A-Shaped House is Neat and Inconspicuous. Will 

Not Be Out of Place On Any Back Lawn. 

By C. C. HOIiMES 

Recently we moved from a small town where land is 
plentiful and cheap, to a large city where poultry raising 
is almost impossible for lack of proper facilities, and it 
has been a serious problem to us as to how we could 
overcome the difficulties. 

After making several sketches in my attempts to de- 
vise a suitable poultry house I have come to the conclu- 
sion that an 8x8-foot house such as is illustrated here, 
is most practical for the back-yard poultry keeper who 
has to live within city limits. It is convenient, mod- 
erate in cost, quite neat in appearance, and if made in 
sections and hinged as indicated, may readily be taken 
down and moved to a new location. 

As the accompanying drawing (Fig. 52), is quite com- 
plete, it will not be necessary to go extensively into de- 
tails. The floor plan indicates the way in which the win- 
dows are arranged to swing in. As will readily be noticed, 
the droppings board does not extend entirely across the 




^ 



7>oy^ 



^^^^ 



CEMCINT FLOOR. . 
CRAVE. L OR 
BP^OKEH &TONE.. 
^^*- CtntNT FOUNDATIOM ^ 



This is a good type of partition to use when the 
laying house is to be divided into two or more pens. 
It protects the fowls from drafts, both on the perches 
and on the floor, but allows free circulation of air 
through the house. Note that the foundation is carried 
up above the ground level and the cement floor is thus 
making it warm and dry. Floor is two inches below 
the top of foundation and the corners are rounded to 
prevent filth collecting at this point. 

back of the building, but a space is left between it and 
the side walls to give access to the nests, which are 
reached by doors opening out into this space. There are 
four nests, two on each side, and the hens enter them 
from the back, under the droppings board. The upper 
part of the front is enclosed only with poultry netting to 
be covered in winter with muslin or cheese cloth, where 
winters are extremely cold, or for more complete pro- 
tection of valuable breeding fowls with extra-large combs. 

As here illustrated this house is to be built in sec- 
tions, held together by means of hinges and hooks as 
shown in detail drawing in upper right-hand corner. Un- 
less the building is to be moved long distances, however, 
it will be stronger and more durable if firmly nailed to- 
gether in the usual way. 

There was enough waste allowed to build the drop- 
pings board, the nests, etc., and the cost of material at 
the time this house was built was $13.00. The cost of 



32 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




rffOA/T ELEVAT/ON 

FIG. 54— FRONT OF INEXPENSIVE HOUSE FOR 

BACK-YARD FLOCK 

Reproduced from blue print furnished by Poultry Div. 

of U. S. Department of Agriculture. 

hardware was about $6.00, making a total cost for my 
colony house about $20.00. At war-time prices of lum- 
ber and hardware this house could not be built for that 
sum, but it should be possible for any one to approxi- 
mate it under fairly normal conditions. 

The materials required for a colony house like the 
one I have illustrated are as follows; 

325 Sq. Ft. matched flooring:. 

Three 2x4's, 16 ft. long. 

Pour 2x2's, 8 ft. long. 

Sixteen lx4's, IC ft. long. 

6 sq. ft. %-inch wire netting. 

8 pair of hinges. 

4 hooks and scre%v eyes. 

10 lbs. of nails. 

8 ft. galvanized iron ridge. 

1 lock. 

3 sashes glazed. 

Editor's Note: There are a number of good points 
about this house that commend it to the back-yard poul- 
try keeper. One of particular features aimed at by Mr. 
Holmes was to make the house attractive in appearance, 
but inconspicuous. In this he has been quite successful, 
producing a house that is not only neat and trim, but 
also low so that it may readily be hidden by shrubs or 
vines if desired. 

One good feature of A-shaped houses in general is 
that, in proportion to the floor space provided, they in- 
close a smaller number of cubic feet of air space than 
houses with any other style of roof affording comfortable 
headroom. This means that less material is required to 




FA^D ELEVATION 

-END ELEVATION OF HOUSE FOR BACK- 
YARD FLOCK 



build them, also that they will be warmer in winter, 
other conditions being equal. Incidentally, this makes 
A-shaped houses particularly desirable for brooding young 
chicks early in the season when ordinary lamp-heated 
hovers make little impression on the general room tem- 
perature of larger buildings. 

There are some diflficulties that are peculiar to A- 
shaped houses, such as weak frames, difficulty in locating 
perches, nests, etc., but Mr. Holmes has taken care of 
them very ingeniously. A few additional suggestions, 
however, may be helpful to other builders. 

The plans shown in Fig. 52 do not indicate the ex- 
act height of the house and we would suggest that the 
roof boards be cut long enough so that the ridge will 
be fully 7 feet from the floor (JYi feet is better still) in 
order to give sufficient headroom for the attendant. The 
low sides of the A-shaped house will not be particularly 
inconvenient if the ridge is high enough. 

The front is always the weakest place in these houses 
and particular attention should be paid to its construc- 
tion. The pieces that form the frame of the door should 
be spiked securely to the floor, and the tops securely tied 
together by a short piece of board. It is a misfortune 




^ 



< PICRS - I I OIK.T flOOD I I 

SECTION THRU HOUSE 



FIG, 



CROSS SECTION OF INEXPENSIVE HOUSE 
FOR BACK-YARD FLOCK. 
Reproduced from blue print furnished by Poultry Div. 
of U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 

to have to locate nests on or close to the floor, thus 
occupying valuable space, as has been done in this plan, 
though it is true that there are important difficulties in 
the way of placing them higher up. One method of sav- 
ing floor space often employed is to put them entirely 
on the outside of the house. An additional advantage of 
outside nests is that the eggs then can be gathered with- 
out entering the house. If this plan is adopted, the 
work must be carefully done to insure that the nests 
will be storm-proof. In this house our preference would 
be to locate them in the rear, with suitable openings for 
the entrance of the fowls, under the droppings platform. 
Outside nests should always be fastened in place with 
hooks so that they may be easily removed for cleaning. 

No matter how much of the front of A-shaped houses 
is left open there is little movement of the air in the 
back part in warm weather, for which reason they are 
liable to be uncomfortably hot at this season. This dif- 
ficulty may be overcome by providing a small door or 
window in the rear: An opening 12 to 18 inches square 
close up to the ridge, to be kept tightly closed in win- 
ter but open in warm weather, will add greatly to the 
comfort of the fowls. 



ECONOMICAL BACK YARD POULTRY HOUSES 



33 



INEXPENSIVE BACK YARD POULTRY HOUSE 

This House is Especially Planned to Secure Low Cost. 

Is About As Inexpensive As it is Worth While 

to Try to BuUd. 

A plan for a small house that can be built about as 
cheaply as it is worth while to build at all, is shown in 
Figs. 54 to 57. This house was designed by the Poultry 
Division, U. S. Department of Agriculture. It is 8x8 
feet and will comfortably accommodate 10 to IS fowls, 
or even 20 with a little crowding. Such a house, prop- 
erly constructed of good materials, will be servicable for 
many years with little cost for repairs. 



8- o' 



T"! 



Dfi OPPI N 6 B OARD 



DIRT FL OO/i 



[ir^^j^^Mf^Afjmvjf*,^^^^*'^-*'^^'*'''^''''-'^^^''-'-''^^'-' 



o 



^LOOR PLAN 



FIG. 



-FLOOR PLAN OF INEXPENSIVE HOUSE FOR 
BACK-YARD FLOCK 
Reproduced from blue print furnished by Poultry Div. 
of U. S. Department of Agriculture 

The average person will find it desirable to make 
both front and back six inches to one foot higher than 
as shown in plan, and if the house is intended to be 
portable it will be much better to put in a board floor. 
If to be used in a damp location a board or concrete 
floor is a necessity. 

Where the 2 inch strips used in covering the cracks 
are expensive or hard to get, as is often the case, it is 
better to omit them and cover the walls on the outside 
with a good grade of prepared roofing. In cold climates 
it will pay to provide one six-light glass sash in the 
front or at one end, to light the house on dark days 
or when the muslin shutter must be left closed on ac- 
count of severe cold. 

The only really esential fixtures for this house are 
perches, droppings board, and nests. It will pay, how- 
ever, to provide a feeding platform also, where the water 
vessel, dry mash, grit and shell hoppers may be located. 
The width and length of this platform will depend upon 
the dimension of the vessels or hoppers used, but should 
be roomy enough to give the fowls convenient access to 
them. It should be about two feet above the floor so 
that there will be scratching room underneath and so 
that litter will not be thrown into the vessels. Those 
who have not tried elevating the water and food hold- 
ers can hardly realize how much time and trouble is 
saved by so doing. 



BIL.I. OK MATBRIALS 

The following list includes everything needed to build 
this house as here described; 

8 brick, stone, or concrete block piers, or solid concrete 
foundation. 

4 pieces 2 in. x 4 in. 8 ft. long, for sills. 

3 pieces 2 in. x 4 in. 10 ft. long, for corner studs and msla. 

5 pieces 2 in. x 4 in. IrO ft. long, for rafters. 

5 pieces 2 in. x 3 in. 8 ft. long, for perches, drop board, 
supports, etc. 
275 feet. bd. meas. % in. x 12 in. boards, surfaced 2 sides, 
for walls, sheathing and nests. 
25 feet bd. meas. % in. x 4 in. flooring boards, for drop- 
pings platform. 
IGO lin. ft. V4 in. X 2 in. strips for cracks. 

75 sq. ft. prepared roofing. 
ISO sq. ft. •'Si -in. mesh poultry netting, for windows. 
1 pr. T-strap hinges, for outside door. 
1 S inch hasp. v 

1 pr. 2Vb-inch butt hinges, for muslin shutter. 
1 pr. 4-inch .-trap hinges, for perch support. 
1 pr. 6-inch strap hinges, for ventilator. 
12 2-inch hooks and eyes. 
Nails, tacks, staples, paint, etc. 

About the cheapest and simplest nests that can be 
installed are made of orange bo.xes as illustrated in Chap- 
ter X, but a better way is to build the nests substantially, 
of good smooth lumber, and place them under the drop- 
pings board (see Figs. 116 and 120), where they -will 
occupy no floor space, will keep clean, and will afford a 
degree of much-desired seclusion for the layers. 

Preventing Drafts in Small Houses 

Back-yard poultry keepers often find difficulty in 
protecting fowls on the roost from drafts or air currents 
in cold, stormy weather, particularly when the wind is 
blowing more or less directly against the front. This 
is due to the fact that their houses usually are small and 
narrow, and the fowls consequently are close to the win- 
dows or other openings. This is one reason why it is cus- 
tomary to keep the shutters or curtains closed in much 
milder weather than is necessary or desirable in houses 
of standard depth — that is, 16 feet wide or over. 

Houses of this type are greatly improved for winter 
use by the provision of some means of adjusting the size 
of the open front to meet varying weather conditions. 
The muslin-covered shutters commonly employed admit 
of no adjustment, but must either be left wide open or 
closed tight. One method of providing for this adjust- 
ment is to make the shutter in two sections as shown on 
page n, so that the upper section may be opened while 
the lower one remains closed, or both may be opened 
together when desired. Another way is to arrange the 
shutter to slide up and down on the outside, working in 
grooves on each side of the opening, as provided in the 
house front illustrated in Fig. 125, on page 68. This shut- 
ter can be adjusted to give an opening of any desired size, 
being held in place by a hook which engages the wire 
netting back of the shutter. 

Whatever method of ventilation is adopted, if it per- 
mits air currents to follow down the rafters and strike 
directly upon the fowls on the perches, a screen should 
be provided. This may take the form of a stationary 
shutter in front of the perches, or it may be hinged at 
the top to hook up out of the way when not needed. Fre- 
quently it is more convenient to provide a curtain at- 
tached to a pole, to be allowed to hang straight down from 
the ceiling when in use, and rolled up and fastened to the 
rafters when not needed. 

Light-weight burlap is the best material to use for 
this purpose, as it will prevent drafts without restrict- 
ing ventilation to a marked extent. The purpose of this 
screen is not to keep the fowls warm, but merely to pro- 
tect them from drafts, and for this reason it should not 
extend lower than about the level of the front perch, and 
should be employed only when actually needed. 



CHAPTER III 



Houses for Commercial Laying Flocks 

Advantages of Curtain-Front and Open-Front Houses for Laying Flocks— Muslin Curtains the Best Known Means of 
Securing Good Ventilation Without Di^colTlfort to Fowls— Plans for Building Single Compartment 
Houses at Moderate Cost — Suggestions for Special Low-Cost Construction. 



o 



HE type of hoi'se commonly described by the term 
"open-front" is generally conceded to be best 
suited to the requirements of the laying flock and 
is now used, almost exclusively, by practical poul- 
try keepers in all parts of the world, from the tropics to 
the far north. When properly designed and constructed, 
such houses are dry and comfortable, affording the great- 
est degiee of warmth that can be secured without re- 
stricting ventilation to an injurious extent. Ventilation 
may readily and quickly be adjusted to meet changing 
weather conditions, and the houses are simple and com- 
paratively inexpensive in construction. 

The term "open-front," in common usage, is applied 
indiscriminately to all houses having extensive openings 
in the front wall, whether provided with muslin shutters 
or curtains, or protected simply by means of wire net- 
ting. The great majority of these 
houses, however, have muslin cur- 
tains or shutters for additional pro- 
tection in severe cold or storms, and 
it will be less confusing to speak of 
such as "curtain-front" houses, re- 
serving "open-front" for the type of 
house having no such protection. 



curtains hooked up and doors between sheds and pens 
open. When it begins to freeze at night, close the cur- 
tains in front of the sheds, but still leave doors between 
pens and sheds open. These doors (including slide door), 
are never closed excepting on nights of severe cold, 
say five to twenty degrees above zero; for zero nights 
close all doors and windows, also the curtains in front 
of roosts. To keep the fowls enclosed when the curtains 
are raised, cover the front of shed with wire netting. The 
doors from sheds to pens swing into the pens and are, 
of course, out of the way of the curtains." 

The Maine Station House 

While conditions in scratching-shed houses were 
greatly improved as compared with those of the closed- 
front type, poultrymen were not long in discovering that 




The Scratching Shed House 

The curtain-front house was devel- 
oped as the direct result of efforts to 
find some means of overcoming the 
serious objections to the old-style, 
warm, glass-front houses, to which 
reference is made on page 5. Dur- 
ing the transition period a type pj^ 
known as the scratching-shed house 
attained some measure of popularity. 

chiefly in New England States. It had some advantages 
over the older type, but it was soon replaced by the cur- 
tain-front house. One of the best of these houses is 
illustrated in Fig. 58, and is thus described by the de- 
signer, the veteran A. F. Hunter: 

"The plans here given are for a continuous poultry 
house with alternating pens and sheds, the sheds having 
curtained fronts and all the space within the house being 
utilized by the fowls. Each combined pen and shed is 18 
by 10 feet, the shed being 10 by 10 feet and the closed 
roosting pen being 8 by 10 feet, affording room sufficient 
for 25 fowls of the American or 30 of the Mediterranean 
varieties. No walk is required, because the walk is 
through gates and doors, from shed to pen and pen to 
shed, and so on to the end of the house. 

"The ventilation (so much desired) is varied, and can 
be adapted to the different seasons in half-a-dozen dif- 
ferent ways. In summer the doors and windows are all 
wide open and the curtains are hooked up against the 
roof out of the way. (It is understood that the doors be- 
tween two pens are never left open; they are always kept 
closed except when opened for the attendant to pass 
through.) When the nights begin to be real frosty in the 
fall, close the windows in front of pens, but leave shed 



/= 



t 



NEW ENGL.'iND SCRATL'HI.XG SHED HOUSE— FORE-RUNNER OF 
THE MODERN CURT.\IN-FRONT HOUSE 



the close, poorly ventilated roosting room had little prac- ' 
tical value and in use proved to be only an added compli- 
cation as well as a needless expense. From this it was 
only a short step to the general type of house now in 
common use. 

No single individual can lay claim to having given the 
poultry world the open-front or curtain-front hoase. 
However, one of the first houses of this type was built 
at the Maine Experiment Station, and it served for years 
as a model for others in all parts of the country. This 
house is illustrated in Fig. 59. The following descrip- 
tion of it is condensed from a Maine Station Bulletin: 

"This building was erected in 1903 and is 14 feet wide 
and 150 feet long. The back wall is 5 feet 6 inches high 
from floor to top of plate inside, and the front wall is 6 
feet 9 inches high. The roof is of unequal span, the ridge 
being 4 feet from the front wall. The height of the ridge 
above the floor is 9 feet. The sills are 4 by 6 inches and 
rest on a rough stone wall laid on the surface of the 
ground. A central sill gives support to the floor, which 
at times is quite heavily loaded with sand. The floor 
timbers are 2 by 8 inches and are placed two feet apart. 
The floor is two thicknesses of hemlock boards. All of 
the rest of the fratne is of 2 by 4-inch stuff. The building 



HOUSES FOR COMMERCIAL LAYIXG FLOCKS 



35 



is boarded, papered and shingled on roof and walls. The 
rear wall and four feet of the lower part of the rear roof 
are ceiled on the inside of the studding and plates, and 
are packed, very hard, with dry sawdust. In order to 
make the sawdust packing continuous between the wall 
and roof, the wall ceiling is carried up to within six 
inches of the plate, then follows up inclining pieces of 
studding to the rafters. The short pieces of studding are 
nailed to the studs or rafters. By this arrangement there 
are no slack places around the plate to admit cold air. The 
end walls are packed in the same way. The house is divided 
by close board partitions into seven 20-foot sections, and 
one 10-foot section is reserved at the lower end for a 
feed storage room. 

"Each of the 20-foot sections has two 12-light out- 
side windows screwed onto the front, and the space be- 
tween the windows, which is eight feet long and three 
feet wide, down from the plate, is covered during rough 
winter storms and cold nights by a light frame, covered 
with 10-ounce duck, closely tacked on. This door, or cur- 
tain, is hinged at top and swings in and up to the roof 
when open." 

-After giving the house a thorough and severe win- 
ter's test, Prof. Gowell, who was in charge of the Poultry 
Department at the Maine Station at that time, wrote re- 
garding it as follows: 

"I wish I had delayed writing the bulletin till now. 
tor we have just gotten through the coldest weather 
ever known in this section and the cloth-front house has 
proved itself equal to the demands made upon it. The 
300 pullets were not put jn * * * until December 6th, 
but by the end of that month they had gotten under way 
and increased every week regularly in egg production all 
through January and February, and have laid from 160 
to 180 eggs every day this month. They came down from 
the perches and engaged in digging a breakfast out of 
the straw litter in a way that showed that life was worth 
living. Every head was blood red. There has not been 
even a snuffle heard or seen in that house." 



The above description was written a good many 
years ago, but, in the main, it fairly represents the exper- 
ience of poultrymen generally with the curtain-front 
house, other conditions being equal. It should be noted 
in this connection, however, that while in this particular 
house 10-ounce duck was used for the shutters, poultry 
keepers generally consider a good grade of unbleached 
muslin amply heavy for the purpose. 



CURTAIN FRONT LAYING HOUSE FOR 100 FOWLS 

A Practical House for Commercial or Farm Flocks. Is 

Well Ventilated, Convenient and Comfortable 

for the Fowls. 

There is no room for argument over the statement 
that hens will give better average production when housed 
in comparatively small flocks. The experience of practical 
poultry keepers, however, is that the saving in labor 
which results from keeping hens in large flocks more 
than offsets the decreased production resulting from this 
practice. The point at which lower labor cost is met and 
overbalanced by decrease in production has never been 
clearly determined, but the general practice among egg 
producers is to keep fowls of the large breeds, such as 
Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, etc., in flocks of about 100. 
On large commercial egg farms, where Leghorns are kept, 
this number often is greatly exceeded, flocks of 500 being 
common. 

To provide sufficient room for 100 hens there should 
be about 400 square feet of floor space. This require- 
ment is approximately met by the house here illustrated 
and described, which is 16x24 feet. In its general out- 
lines it meets the requirements of the average poultry 
keeper to an unusual degree. For houses of moderate 
size, a width of sixteen feet is almost invariably preferred, 
and there are sound practical reasons for doing so. A 
house much narrower than sixteen feet brings the perches 
too close to the front, and the hens on the perches are 
exposed to direct currents of air when the curtains are 
open. Narrow houses cost more to build than those of 
medium width and are more difficult to care for. On the 
other hand, extremely wide houses call for heavier fram- 
ing timbers and more bracing. In long compartment 
houses a width greater than sixteen feet often is consid- 
ered desirable, but it is of no advantage in single-pen 
houses. Even for use on commercial farms where ex- 
tremely large flocks are the rule, there are many who pre- 
fer buildings nof over sixteen feet in width. The gen- 
eral plans, with all needed dimensions, etc., are shown 
in Figs. 60, 61. 62 and 6.3. 

The details of lighting and ventilation in this house 
are planned to meet the requirements of cold climates, 
but these can readily be mcjdified to suit a wide range of 
climatic conditions. Where extreme cold is to be ex- 
pected, it will be found desirable to reduce the size of the 
curtains and increase somewhat the amount of glass pro- 
vided. In warmer climates glass windows will be omitted 




iS ! If^l ISJllSiilSIl ||;i!i|ll!||!il||l||S||| 
ill 111 Hi lilt ''i ■■^■■!n""i"'iff"s" 





FIG. 59 — THE HISTORICAL M.^INE STATION CURTAIN- FRONT HOUSE 
The curtain-front house shown in above illustration was one of the first houses of this type to be built. It has 
been in successful use at the Maine Experiment Station for many years. Note raised platform in front of the build- 
ing, which takes the place of an inside passageway. 



36 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



and the curtains made larger, possibly substituting frame- 
less folding curtains, as shown in Fig. 89. in place of 
hinged shutters. In the extreme* south the curtains also 
may be dispensed with and the entire front left open. 

The estimated capacity of 100 hens is based on a 



ft 


^ 












-^ 


- 


- 





^_ 


=__ 




— 


— 


— 


— ■ 


_ 


t 


— 


: 




= 


— 




- 


= 


= 


= 






^ 






E 


E 




— 


: 




- 


-J 


^^^ 


~ 


- 


- 


^ 






C 






P 1 1 r-^i^=^=4^ 


[. 



FIG. 60— FRONT ELEVATION OF CURTAIN-FRONT HOUSE FOR 100 HENS 



floor allowance of four square feet per hen. When Leg- 
horns are kept, and in mild climates where the fowls 
seldom need to be confined to the house, this number may 
be increased 25 per cent or more. 

Most of the details of construction in this plan, such 
as building up foundation and floor, window and door 2x4-inch stringers, front and rear. The platform is sup- 



If milled sills for the windows and curtains can not 
readily be secured, they may be made of ordinary 2x5 or 
2x6-inch lumber, setting them to slope outward. Do not 
use one-inch material here, as is often done. Such sills 
soon warp and split and must be replaced in a short time 
if the building is to be kept in good 
repair. It is a common error, es- 
pecially among beginners and those 
who are doing their own carpenter 
work, to try to effect petty economies 
or to do careless, hasty work in con- 
nection with these minor details, re- 
sulting in defective construction 
which allows deterioration to set in 
almost as soon as the building is 
completed. Like a chain, the poultry 
house is no stronger than its weakest 
point, and whether the annual depre- 
ciation on it is to be ten per cent, 
five per cent often depends upon whether such details as 
the window sills, for example, have received proper 
attention. 

The boards for the droppings platform are cut to run 
the short way of the platform and are nailed securely to 



framing, rafter cutting, etc., will be found fully illustrated 
and described in Chapter I, pages 13 to 24, which the 
builder is urged to read carefully before undertaking the 
construction of any poultry house, small or large. 

A concrete foundation and floor are recommended, 
as they undoubtedly are most economical in the long run. 
No special skill is required in doing concrete work, and 
where the sand and gravel or stone are readily obtain- 
able, it is comparatively inexpensive. Even where pro- 
fessional labor is employed, or the work regularly con- 
tracted for, the cost will be repaid in a few years in the 
saving of labor which will be effected in the daily care 
of the building, and in the much lower rate of depre- 
ciation. 

As here planned, this house is framed with single 
sills and rafter plates; studs and raft- 
ers are two feet on centers, and the 
walls are covered with a good grade 
of six-inch tongue-and-groove siding. 
The roof is sheathed with ordinary 
roofing boards, which should be sur- 
faced on both sides, if such are ob- 
tainable without too great additional 
cost. They may be of No. 2 grade 
or No. 2 common, as they are to be 
covered with fairly heavy prepared 
roofing. No lining or ceiling is pro- 
vided except about the perches. 

Whether to use tongue-and-groove 
siding, or rough boards to be covered 
with prepared roofing, is largely a 
matter of individual preference or 
necessity. Where rough boards are 
used, they generally are nailed on up 
and down, omitting most of the wall 
studs, as shown on page 17. The 
omission of studs and the use of 
cheap siding that could not be util- 
ized without an outside covering, may effect an important 
saving in cost. If regular grades of lumber are to be 
bought, however, it will be found that boards covered 
with roofing will cost more than T & G siding and a 
house so constructed will depreciate more rapidly, be- 
sides being unsightly at all times. 



ported in front on 2x4 posts spaced about eight feet apart. 
These platforms sometimes are made in movable sections 
so that they can be taken out for cleaning and disinfect- 
ing. The advantage of being able to do this is more 
theoretical than actual, however, and the boards ordinar- 
ily are nailed. In fastening them in place, do not drive 
them up tight together, but leave room for them to swell, 
as they are certain to do when the house is in use. Where 
this precaution is neglected the platform will buckle and 
pull many of the boards loose, necessitating repairs in a 
short time. 

The construction of perches, nests, etc., will readily 
be understood from the plans shown herewith, but are 
illustrated and described in detail in Chapter X. If plat- 
form nests are preferred instead of wall nests, directions 




FIG. 61 — FLOOR PLAN OF CURTAIN-FRONT HOUSE FOR 100 HENS 



for building them will also be found in that chapter, like- 
wise directions for building trap-nests, and bill of ma-' 
terials needed. Hinged yard doors may be substituted for 
sliding doors if preferred, hinging them to swing out 
rather than in, as a rule. 

The bill of materials given includes everything nee- 



HOUSES FOR COMMERCIAL LAYING FLOCKS 



37 



essary to build this house, with a reasonable allowance for 
shrinkage in the lumber estimates. On the average place, 
however, there are always a number of uses for good 
lumber when it is at hand, and it usually happens that 
boards are taken for various purposes not contemplated 
in the original plan. It is advisable, therefore, to add a 
little to net estimates to meet these requirements. 

Materials for the concrete foundation and floor are 
estimated on the basis of a six-inch wall, two and one-half 
feet from bottom to top. The floor is to be three inches 
thick, with a four-inch layer of insulating material. 

BILL OF MATERIALS FOR HOUSE FOR 100 HENS 



Use 



Sfz 



One piece cuts 
One piece cuts 
Cut to fit. 



12 1 One piece cuts ! 

12 1 One piece cuts I 

500 ft. bd. meas. Sfcd. 2 sides 

600 ft. bd. meas. 



400 


ft. 


bd. 


meas. 






1« 


lin 




Surfaced 




sides 


200 


lin, 




Surfaced 




sides 


40 


lin. 




Surfaced 




sides 


12 


lin 




Surfaced 




sides 


10 


lin. 




Surfaced 




sides 


30 


lin. 


ft. 


Surfaced 


4 


sides 



Inches 

Sills, sides 2x4 

Sills, ends 2x4 

Rafter plates 2x4 

Studs front 2x4 

Studs, back 2x4 

Studs, ends and misc. 2x4 

Rafters 2x6 

Stringers for drop- 
pings platform 2x4 

Perches 2x4 

Sills for windows 2x5 

Sills for curtains 2x5 

Roof boards %xlO 

T & G siding- %-xG 

Flooring for ceiling, 
droppings platform 
and door*' %x4 

Door frame %x5 

Trim lumber %x4 

Curtain frame %x2% 

Strip under shutter.. ..%x2^4 

Strip under window... .%xl% 

Weather strips for 
windows & doors. ...%x% 

5 squares prepared roofing. 

6 window sashes. * '4 -inch, 6 lights, 8,xl2-inch glass. 

80 sq. ft. 1-inch mesh poultry netting for curtains and 

windows. 
30 sq. ft. heavy unbleached muslin for curtains. 

6 anchor bolts. ^4x12 inches, with 2 2-in. washers for each. 

1 pr. T-strap hinges for outside door. 

1 hasp for outside door. 

2 pr. 2%-inch butt hinges for shutters. 

3 pr. 2-inch butt hinges for windows. 

2 pr. 3-inch strap hinges for rear ventilators. 

2 pr. 4-inch strap hinges for perches. 

10 2-inch screw hooks and eyes. 

6 ft. chain for sash holders. 

1 box 4-oz. carpet tacks for curtains. 

^ lb. double-pointed tacks for netting. 
Nails and paint. 

SIATERIAL FOR FOUNDATIOIV AND FLOOR 

67 bags Portland cement. 
140 cu. ft. sand. 

250 cu. ft. crushed stone or gravel. 
140 cu. ft. cinders or stone for insulation. 

MATBRI.\L FOR WALL NESTS — 3 SETS 

(See Chapter X) 

Top boards %xl0 inches 30 I 

Back boards %xlO inches 50 1 

Sides ; %x7 inches 40 1 

Bottoms %x8 inches 30 1 

Bottoms %x7 inches 30 1 

Running boards %x6 inches 30 I 





FIG. 62 — CROSS SECTION OF HOUSE FOR 100 HENS 



FIG. 63 — END ELEVATION OF 100-HEN HOUSE 

Partitions %x7 inches 25 lin. ft. 

Front boards, bottom %x4 inches 30 lin. ft. 

Front boards, top %x2 inches 30 lin. ft. 

Support for running boards %x4 inches 25 lin. ft. 

Strips %-x.% inches 25 lin. ft. 

All boards to be surfaced two sides. 
6 pr. 1-inch butt hinges. 
12 2-inch screw hooks and eyes. 

MATERIAL FOR PLATFORM NESTS 

If platform nests are preferred instead of wall nests, 
the following material will be required for 4 sets of five 
nests each: 

., Size Length No. of 

nches Feet Pieces 

Door %x7 12 2 

Front strip %x6 12 2 

Bottom %xl2 12 2 

Rear strip, bottom %x4 12 2 

Top strips ..%x2 12 4 

Partitions %xll 10 3 

Running board %x6 12 3 

Brackets %x4 8 5 

All boards to be surfaced two sides. 
4 pr. 2%-inch T-strap hinges. 
For bill of materials for trap-nests see Chapter X. 

Building Temporary Houses 

The poultry keeper who has only a limited atnount 
to invest in his poultry house often finds it necessary 
to omit some features that otherwise would be consid- 
ered desirable and important. Where this is necessary 
the plan just given can be reduced to simpler terms, and 
still cheaper construction provided for. If this is done 
it must not be expected that the house will prove as con- 
venient or as permanent as a more expensive house, but 
it may still be made comfortable for the fowls. 

One of the first steps in reducing cost is to provide 
a post foundation and dirt floor. The foundation may 
consist of posts of some durable material such as cedar, 
locust, or chestnut. These should be 3 feet long and 
set 8 feet apart with about 6 inches projecting above the 
ground. The sills are to be spiked 
directly to the face of the posts 
with top of sill 2 inches above top 
of post and the enclosed space 
filled in with earth or sand to the 
top of the sill. If at all possible, 
it is recommended that a concrete 
or stone foundation be provided 
instead of posts, as wooden sills 
cannot be expected to last more 
than a few years when in direct 
contact with the ground, and it is 
a difficult and expensive operation 
to replace them. 

Plain boards of cheap grade may 
be used for siding, nailing them 
up and down as shown in Fig. 
19 on page 17, which does away 
with the necessity for studs ex- 
cept at the corners, middle of each 



38 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



end and at 6-foot intervals on the sides — enough sim- 
ply to stiffen the frame and give something substantial 
to which to nail plates and stringers. The ceiling 
around the perches may be omitted, also the droppings 
platform. Instead of the latter set up a 10-inch board 



It 




FIG. 64— CROSS SECTION OF COMPARTMENT LAYING 
HOUSE FOR COMMERCIAL, FLOCKS 

on the floor, about 12 inches in front of the first 
perch and extending the entire length of the house. 
This will confine the droppings under the perches and 
keep them out of the litter. For nests, orange boxes 
may be used (see Chapter X), fastening them to the wall 
by means of screw hooks or pieces of wire bent over 
nails so that they may be readily removed for cleaning. 
Perches may be arranged as in Fig. 64 or supported on 
trestles or on wires attached to the rafters. 

These modifications in the regular plan will materi- 
ally reduce the first cost of the house, but it would not 
be fair to hold out the impression that such a building- 
will prove as satisfactory in everyday use as a house 
constructed after the regular plans. The beginner can 
safely depend upon it that, where experienced poultry 
keepers aie practically unanimous in the adoption of cer- 
tain details of poultry house construction, there is a 
thoroughly good reason for doing so. 

The following bill of material provides everything 
heeded for constructing a 16x24-foot house where this 
style of construction is to be followed: 

DILI, OF M.iTERIAtS 

Size Length No. of 
Use Inches Feet Pieces Remarks 

Sills, side 2x8 12 4 

Sills, ends 2x8 16 3 

Plates 2x4 12 4 

Studs, front 2x4 16 6 One piece cuts 2 

Studs, back 2x4 10 2 One piece cuts 2 

Studs, ends 2x4 8 3 

Stringers and misc 2x4 10 8 

Rafters 2x6 18 13 

Sheathing boards for roof 

and sides 1x10 1050 feet, bd. meas. 

Donr battens, braces, etc. .1x4 25 lineal feet. 

Sills for windows and 

curtains 2x3 20 lineal feet. 

Frame for shutters 1x2 45 lineal feet. 

10 squares of prepared roofing. 

6 window sashes, l^A-inch, 6-light, 8xl2-inch glass. 
80 sq. ft. 1-inch mesh netting for openings. 

1 pr. 8-inch T-strap hinges for outside door. 

1 safety hasp. 

5 pr. 2-inch butt hinges for windows and shutters. 

6 pr. 4-inch strap hinges for perch supports. 
20 2-inch hooks and eyes. 

Nails and tacks. 



A SIX-COMPARTMENT LAYING HOUSE 
Designed for Use of Commercial Poultry Keepers. 

Looks Well, and the Low Front Makes it Extra 
Comfortable in Winter. 

This hou.se is designed to meet the requirements of 
those who are keeping fowls on a large scale and who 
want a complete and practical house capable of being ex- 
tended to any desired length. While the house as here 
described consists of six pens, having an average capacity 
of 100 hens each, the number of pens may be reduced or 
increased to meet individual needs. If Leghorns are kept 
and large flocks are wanted, the wire partitions and base 
boards may be omitted. 

In long houses unbroken by partitions, especially 
houses with open fronts, there are always liable to be air 
currents, and it is chiefly for the purpose of protecting 
the fowls from drafts that tight partitions are provided 
at the back of the pens where the perches are located. 
This is the principal reason, also, for making the front 
partitions solid to a height of two or more feet. If it is 
desired to throw several pens into one. the rear partitions 
should be retained and extended two or three feet farther 
forward into the pens. In addition to breaking up floor 
drafts, they divide the house into smaller sections, giving 
the fowls at least a little feeling of privacy, which they 
greatly enjoy. 

The combination roof indicated for this house is rec- 
ommended regularly for all laying houses over sixteen 
feet in width. Shed roofs are sometimes used on twenty- 



=---=• t 

I 
1 


nr^ ^^""^^^ 








FIG. 66— END ELEVATION OF COMPARTMENT LAYING 
HOUSE FOR COMMERCIAL FLOCK 

foot houses, but they offer no advantages other than that 
they are a little easier for the inexperienced builder to 
construct and, as they make the front considerably higher, 
they give opportunity for additional ventilator openings 
up under the front rafter plate. This extra height is an 
advantage in warm climates and a disadvantage where 
the winters are cold. 

A combination roof may be built with supporting 
posts, as shown in this plan, using rafter ties only at par- 
titions, or the supporting posts may be omitted and ties 
used on each pair of rafters. The builder may take his 
choice of methods, but it is well to remember that when 
Leghorns are kept in houses with tied rafters it is neces- 












-- 


f^^MM 


f^^^'- 








^P^ 








E3£ 


: 


U 






— 


-UHJI 


1 "--M 



FIG. 65— PART OF TTRONT ELEVATION OF COMPARTMENT HOUSE FOR COMMERCI.-VL LAYING FLOCKS 



HOUSES FOR COMMERCIAL LAYING FLOCKS 



39 



sary to enclose the space between each tie and the pair 
of rafters above it with netting or strips, in order to pre- 
vent the fowls from roosting theie instead of on the regu- 
lar perches. 

Fig. 67 shows the floor plan for a complete section 
or pen and a portion of the opposite end section. . All 
sections are made identical with the one shown. Perches 
are provided as shown in Fig. 67. For detail drawing- 
showing rear ventilator (not indicated in Fig. 64), see 
Chapter X. This ventilator will be found a great aid in 
keeping the house comfortable in summer and should 
never be omitted. It does not seem to be commonly un- 
derstood that fowls sufifer as much from extreme heat as 
from cold, and their productiveness is affected by either. 
It is almost as important, therefore, to protect the fowls 
from severe heat as from cold. The average laying house 
is unnecessarily hot and uncomfortable in the summer 



While not provided for in the plans or the bill of 
materials, it is recommended that two six-light windows 
be supplied for each pen, to be located in the rear wall 
under the droppings platform. These windows are espec- 
ially desirable in twenty-foot houses, as they light up what 
otherwise is a comparatively dark section of the floor. 
In the summer, with the sash removed, the openings will 
be found to assist greatly in keeping the house cool. Of 
course, there must be no open cracks about these win- 
dows in winter, to expose the hens to drafts. 

Fig. 64 shows a cross-section at partition. In ex- 
posed locations it may be necessary to build every other 
partition solid in order to prevent floor drafts, but, as a 
rule, the two-foot baseboard will protect the fowls suffi- 
ciently, and open partitions make the house much cooler 
in summer. Fig. 66 shows an elevation with slope of 
roof and location of outside door. 



= u-'-l-^JlLMliS,.! L_4Be4ts_L."j' L!4LMet!+si__j LiAJNSSta.l.iij" 



-IL B . a a 





FIG. 67— FLOOR PLAN OF COMPARTMENT LAYING HOUSE FOR COMMERCIAL FLOCKS 



simply because provision is not made for sufficient ven- 
tilation. As a result of this there is little circulation of 
air, especially in the back part where perches are located. 

With an opening under the eave six to twelve inches 
wide, depending on where the house is located, there will 
be a constant circulation of air from front to back or 
back to front, as the case may be, and the ceiling around 
the perches will protect the fowls from direct drafts. In 
some instances a narrow door running the entire length 
of each pen is placed in the inside wall at the angle where 
it joins the roof ceiling. This is to be opened in hot 
weather, thus securing direct air circulation in the roosting 
compartment. If this is done, the doors must be made to 
fit tight, as there should be no suspicion of a draft here 
in winter. 

The outside opening should run the entire length of 
the building and is provided with hinged doors not over 
six feet long. Use sound, well-seasoned boards for this 
purpose in order to reduce the tendency to warp. The 
doors are to be held open with screw hooks and eyes, but 
should be closed in cold weather and fastened securely in 
place with wooden buttons. 



Fig. 65 shows front elevation and is self-explanatory. 
The size of the muslin-covered openings may be increased 
or decreased as local conditions require, remembering, 
however, that with the shutters closed the fowls will go 
through extremely cold weather without suffering any 
injury, even though the surface to be so protected may 
seem quite large. 

The accompanying bill of materials gives everything 
that is required for the construction of this house as de- 
scribed. In estimating quantities needed, reasonable al- 
lowance has been made for waste. Estimates on siding 
and ceiling provide for 25 per cent shrinkage and on 
sheathing boards about 10 per cent. However, as there 
often are changes to be made to meet individual require- 
ments, and as some of the building material is almost in- 
variably taken for other purposes, it will be wise to order 
a little extra. This is particularly true in the case of 
J^x4-inch trim boards for which the poultryman usually 
finds ^ astonishing number of extra uses. 

Material for the concrete foundation and floor is es- 
timated on the basis of a 2j/2-foot wall, six inches thick; 
floor, three inches thick, and a four-inch insulating layer. 



40 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



BILL, OF MATERIALS FOR 6-PBN COMPARTMENT 
HOUSE 

Use ,Si« Length No. of Remarks 

Inches heet Pieces 

Sills, side 2x4 10 48 

Sills, ends 2x4 10 S 

Plates 2x4 10 48 

Studs, front 2x4 14 18 One piece cuts 2. 

Studs, back 2x4 10 30 One piece cuts 2. 

Stud;3, ends 2x4 16 11 Cut to fit. 

Studs, partitions 2x4 10 30 

Miscellaneous 2x4 10 15 

Partitions, sills 2x4 10 10 

Ratters, rear 2x6 14 61 

Rafters, front 2x6 14 31 

Ridge pole 1x6 10 12 

Center posts 4x4 10 6 

Stringers for d r o p - 

pings platform 2x4 10 24 

Perches 2x4 10 36 Surfaced upper 

edges rounded. 

Sills for windows 2x5 12 6 Milled. 

Sills for curtains 2x5 12 6 Milled. 

Roof boards %xlO 3000 ft. Surfaced 2 sides. 

T & G siding '78x6 1600 ft. 

Matched flooring for 

partitions, ceil ing 

and doors ysx4 2100 ft. 

Trim lumber %xi 400 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides. 

Door frames %x5 36 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides. 

Partition doors, 

braces, etc %x4 150 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides. 

Cross pes. for perches..%x4 100 lin ft. Surfaced 4 sides. 

Frames for shutters %x2 235 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides. 

Strips under shutters... 78x21/2 65 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides. 

Inside window sills %xl% 40 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides. 

Weather strips for 

windows & doors %x% 120 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides. 

MATERIALS FOR PL.\TFORM >ESTS (TWENTY-FOUR 

SETS, 4 NESTS EACH) 

„ . Size Length No. o 

^-' Inches Feet Pieces 

Base boards, front %x6 10 12 

Doors %x7 10 12 

Partitions - Vsxll 12 12 

Base boards, back %x4 10 12 

Top strips ; %x2 10 24 

Bottom boards %xl2 10 12 

Running boards %x6 10 12 

Brackets y8x4 10 12 

All boards surfaced four sides. 

24 4-inch strap hinges for doors. 
28 squares prepared roofins. 

24 window sashes, IVi-inch, 6-light, 10xl4-inch glass. 
850 sq. ft. 1-in. mesh netting for partitions and windows. 
225 sq. ft. muslin for curtains. 
26 anchor bolts, M!xl2-inoh, with 2-inch washers for each. 

2 pr. 8-inch T-strap hinges for outside doors. 

2 6-inch hasps for doors. 
12 pr. 2-inch butt hinges for windows. 
12 pr. 2 1/2 -inch butt hinges for shutters. 

6 dx3z. 2-inch hooks and eyes. 
12 pr. 4-inch strap hinges for perch supports. 



5 pr. double-acting spring hinges for partition doors 
12 pr. 4-inch strap hinges for ventilator doors. 
36 ft. chain for sash holders. 
Nails, tacks and paint. 

MATERI.\L FOR FOUNDATION AND FLOOR 

210 bags Portland cement. 

500 cu. ft. sand. 

950 cu. ft. crushed stone or gravel. 

800 cu. ft. cinders or broken stone for filling. 





Jl 


-fr 




::E::::::::::'::i::! 


TTl 


mt] 




rrtn 


'V 


['Tn! 




i 




:i:::: :::::: i 








I III 


1 


1 1 III 




1 




: :i ::::::::::_. ::.:i 




II 




nil 


1 


1 1| 








T i::::::i:: :::i 




11 






1 


jj 


^ 


o..pp..,, B=-j 4'«.-. n«..i. r 

:=> M.,- H=... .6-.2* 

=> W.-J.-J (jm.ll)yx3'(l.T.)3«.0'|F., ij 

^ «"l.l (.....) 6-.. i." (..',■) t-M 

= H«-,BI..1.I... IF., 5 ..as; ,„„..».. 

=> p.,„.o„ .f C.,1 Bo..d(S.. J.«..pt..,) • 




- 




-PLANS FOR CONSTRUCTING NEW ENGLAND LAYING HOUSE 
Prepared by Poultry Dept. Mass. Agri. College. 



-NEW KXGLAND OPEN-FRONT LAYING HOUSE 
Photo from Mass. Agri. College. 

A NEW ENGLAND LAYING HOUSE 
Especially Suitable for Farm Flocks. Has Open Front 
and Separate Small Pen Suitable for Breed- 
ers or Storage. 

By PROP. J. C. GRAHAM 

The plan herewith presented shows a detention pen 
six feet wide on the east side of the house. As can be 
seen, the house is 18 feet deep and 24 feet long, which 
gives floor space sufficient for 100 pullets or hens. 

The height of the front is 7 feet 10 inches, and back, 
4 feet 10 inches. A 2x4, 12 feet long, sawed in two, will 
make the back stud 4^ feet and the front 7'/. feet. Then 
the two-inch plate at the top and the sill at the bottom 
give the full dimensions already 
stated. The rear rafter is just 14 
feet long, the front one six feet, 
and the peak 10 feet from the 
floor. Note that the rafter at the 
rear is sawed oflf flush with the 
back edge of the stud and plate, 
and the rear roof board is allowed 
to project over about three inches, 
with a small strip nailed up un- 
derneath it on the outside. This 
closes up the crack, if any, and 
makes a tight, cheap method of 
construction. The front ends of 
the rafters are sawed off vertical- 
ly, and underneath the projection 
of the rafters a board is fitted in 
between the board nailed against 
the ends and the siding end of the 
house, which gives a tight, cheap 
construction for the front end of 
the rafters. Note that a 4x4 beam 
supports the center of the roof. 
This is necessary in a house 18 
feet wide. 

The cloth at each end of the 
opening is nailed to frame made of 
materia! three inches wide and 



A_.,..T.M«il. 



HOUSES FOR COMMERCIAL LAYING FLOCKS 



41 




FIG. 70 — FRONT ELEVATION, CORNELL MODEL POULTRY HOUSE 



with a partition six feet from the 
east end, giving us a detention 
pen 6x18 feet. Every poultryman 
should have an extra pen of this 
kind. It may serve as a hospital 
in the fall, if necessary, or a pen 
for fattening cockerels or surplus 
females. It makes a fine place 
for a breeding pen during that 
time of the year, or for sitting 
hens during the hatching season. 
Many no doubt will prefer to in- 
stall suitable bins so that this 
space may be utilized as a feed 
room which may be done to good 
advantage if floor is rat-proof. 



seven-eighths in. thick. These are not hinged, but are kept 
in place by buttons on the inside. We think this is a little 
better than hinging, because curtains hinged at the top 
gather an immense amount of dust while the curtain is 
hooked up near the ceiling. These cloth frames can be 
removed in the summer time, but in cold weather they 
should be kept in place at all times. The rest of the open- 
ing, 10x3 feet, is covered by inch-mesh wire. There is 
no cloth or further protection. The birds roosting so 
far from the opening will not suffer in cold weather when 
the house is sufficiently filled. 

The reason for placing the opening in the center of 
the house, as we have done, is because an opening placed 
in that position, and not more than 19 feet in length, 
does not admit the wind sufficiently to give it a chance 
to whirl about in the house, whereas, if the wire and cloth 
portions of the front are reversed, the wind will whip in 
at one end and out of the other and the birds will be in 
a constant draft if there is any 
movement of air. 

The back part of the house is 
ceiled with ceil board from the 
plate down to the droppings board, 
and a ventilator at the back of the 
house is so arranged that the air 
during the summer months can 
pass in at the front of the house, 
under the droppings boards, up 
between this lining and the boards 
on the outside, and out, cooling 
the house to quite an extent with- 
out subjecting the birds to drafts. 
These ventilators should be left 
open during the summer months. 

The boards used on the outside 
are novelty siding, with no paper. 
This gives a very sightly house, 
and is also cheaper than one made 
of rough boards and covered w'th 
paper, unless one has the boards 
on hand. 

It is more economical to use 
2x4's for rafters, and if sound 
they are heavy enough to support 
the roof. The house can be built 
with a shed roof if one desires, as 
there will be plenty of head room. 
Twenty-foot rafters are required 
for such a roof. 

This house is designed for a 
single pen or a section of a long 
house. We made it 30 feet long. 



THE CORNELL MODEL POULTRY HOUSE 

The Latest Cornell Laying House. Equipped With Dust 

Bath, Wind Bafflers, and Coops for Broody 

Hens. Special Ventilator. 

By PROP. JABIES E. RICE 

This house, as here illustrated, is provided with a 
concrete floor. If desired it may be set up on posts about 
a foot above the ground and a board floor put in. Quite 
frequently a board floor can be put in at considerably less 
cost than a concrete floor and may prove nearly as satis- 
factory. However, on the farm we advise that the con- 
crete floor be used. The stones, gravel and sand are us- 
ually near at hand and by using farm help the concrete 
foundation and floor can be put in at little expense. The 
concrete floor, if properly built, is warmer in winter and 
will outlast the board floor. 




FIG. 71— FLOOR PLAN OF CORNELL MODEL POULTRY HOUSE 



42 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




so help to keep the 



FIG. 72 — CROSS SECTION OF CORNELL MODEL POULTRY HOUSE 



After the floor is made ready the 
studding and plates for front and 
rear are next cut and put up, 
squared and braced. The studs in 
front are cut nine feet long and those 
in the rear are 5 feet long. Notches 
for the lx6-inch ribbon should be cut 
in the rear studs before they are put 
up. The rafters should be notched to 
fit onto the plates and they should 
also set on top of the studding front 
and rear. If preferred, short rafters, 
2x6-inch, 12 feet long may be used 
and allowed to overlap in the center 
and spiked together. The 2x6-inch 
roof support should now be put in 
with a 4x4-inch post in the center 
and a 2x4-inch under each end. Raise 
this support a little so as to make 
the rafters slightly crowning in the 
center. Space the end studs from 
two and one-half to three feet apart. 

In most localities in this state a 
single thickness of cove or novelty 
siding is all that is required. This 
siding must be put on with consider- 
able care. A knot hole or a crack 




FIG. 73 — CROSS 
SECTION OF 
FRONT 



between the boards may be the means 
of creating a draft in the house that 
will cause many birds to beQonie ill 
with colds. Cove siding must be 
thoroughly dry when it is put on, 
otherwise cracks are likely to open 
up between the boards when wind 
and sun have dried them out. Spruce 
siding is the best because it will not 
shrink as much as pine. The ad- 
vantage in using the cove siding is 
that it can be painted so as to make 
a very attractive house. 

The Cornell wind baffler was de- 
signed for the purpose of taking the 
place of the muslin curtains for ven- 
tilation. See page 21 for directions 
for making and installing bafflers. 

The perches are hung with hooks 
and chains to help prevent the mites 
from getting onto them. The per- 
ches should be painted twice a year 
with a good creosote wood preserva- 



tive. This will 
mites away. 

In the ceiling, about three inches 
above the droppings board, a four- 
inch opening extending the full 
length of the house is made. The ob- 
ject of this opening is to provide a 
means for carrying off the bad odor 
from the dr typings boards and roost- 
ing compartment. If desired, this 
opening may be closed in the win- 
tertime. The ten-inch opening under 
the eaves in the rear is almost a nec- 
essity during hot weather. This open- 
ing extends the full length of the 
house and there are four doors that 
can be opened and closed as desired, 
made of boards 12 inches wide. These 
should be cleated to prevent them from warping. The 
front ventilators are usually kept open all summer and 
should be opened a little in cold weather if there is any 
indication of dampness in the house. The window sashes 
are arranged to drop back at the top in order to increase 
ventilation. This feature is especially valuable during the 
winter months. 

The bottoms of the nests are stationary, "but the 
frames are removable for easy cleaning and spraying. If 
desired, these nests may be made much lighter by mak- 
ing the frames entirely of 9-16-inch lumber. There is an 
opening for the hens to enter the nests at the end nearest 
the droppings boards. A board or a small gate should 
be arranged to close this opening whenever it may be 
necessary to prevent pullets or hens from getting into the 
nests at night. A droppings board is placed just above 
the nests and a frame covered with one-inch mesh poultry 
wire above this for the bottom of the broody coop. The 
broody coop may be divided into two parts by a partition 
in the center. Troughs for feed and water can be hung 
on the outside of the slats. 

A 14-foot partition is put in the center of the house. 
This partition makes the house more rigid and also serves 
to prevent the circulation of strong air currents. This 
partition makes it convenient at the breeding season for 
dividing the house into two pens, one of which can be 
used for the selected breeders. The mash hopper should 




-MISSOURI PorLl'Ifi 
Photo Horn 



KUONT AND SIDE 



HOUSES FOR COMMERCIAL LAYING FLOCKS 



43 



be about six feet long and is built into 
the partition where it is least in the way 
of the caretaker. 

We consider the outside dust wallow a 
great improvement over the old style in- 
door dust box. It has the advantage of 
being outside, out of the way. It gives 
additional floor space at little cost. It 
receives the sunlight frofi three sides and 
very little dust can get into the house. 
The dust wallow should have a concrete 
floor which is on a level with that of the 
house. The roof is made on a frame so 
that it can be lifted off by two men for 
convenience in renewing the supply of 
fine sand, which seems to be the most 
satisfactory material for this purpose. 

There will be little necessity for labori- 
ously handling fowls and dusting or oth- 
erwise treating them for lice. 




-CROSS SECTION OF MISSOURI OPEN-FRONT POULTRY HOUSE: 
Reproduced from Bui. 80, University of Missouri. 



THE MISSOURI POULTRY HOUSE 
Is Proving Quite Popular in the Middle West, Partic- 
ularly On Farms. Is Lighted On All- Sides 
and Has Straw Loft. 

By PROF. H. I,. KEMPSTER* 

T4ie Missouri Poultry House has been designed by 
the Poultry Department of the I'niversity of Missouri, 
College of Agriculture, to meet the demand for a house 
of such size as to accommodate the average Missouri 
farm flock and also be adapted to Missouri conditions. 

Since the average farm poultry flock in Missouri is 
from 100 to ISO hens, this house is 20 feet square, the 
square house being the most economical to construct and 
affording a maximum amount of floor space. The ridge 
of the roof runs north and south, the roof being of equal 
spans. The walls are five feet at the eaves. It is eleven 
feet high at the peak. The soitth side contains a door in 



, n 


n 


n 


n 


II 


II 


l| 


. II 


1 


ii 


Ii 


II 


Jl 


II 


ij 


11- 


^P""^' — 1 — 1 — 


, , .. (J ,^ 


■ ;■ ' 


! !1 ii ' 1^ "|l ■ 




75— FLOOR PLAN OF MISSOURI OPEN-FRONT HOUSE 
Reproduced from Bui. 80, University of Missouri. 



the center and a window 2x3 feet on each side of the door. 
These windows are placed high enough to afford a 30-inch 
opening beneath, one foot above the floor and extending 
the entire length each side of the door. This openmg is 
covered with wire screen, which keeps the hens in and the 
sparrows out. 

On the east and west sides are two windows, each 
two feet high and three feet wide. On the north end next 
to the floor is a six-light 8xl0-inch glass window. An ar- 
rangement which admits light from all directions has de- 
cided advantages, because the light is so distributed that 
there are no dark corners, thus discouraging the laying 
of eggs on the floor. Also, when light comes from one 
direction the hen always faces in that direction when she 
scratches. In consequence, there is a gradual movement 
of the litter toward the back side of the house. When 
light is evenly distributed this trouble is eliminated. One 
hen scratches in one direction and another in another and 
the litter never piles up on the dark side, be- 
cause there is no dark side in such a house. 

Another decided advantage in having open- 
ings on all sides is the excellent summer venti- 
lation which can be afforded by removing the 
windows. This is an important point and should 
not be overlooked in constructing a house un- 
der Missouri conditions. Summer ventilation is 
as important as winter ventilation. 

During the winter the success of ventilation 
of this type depends upon having the east, west 
and north sides and the roof entirely air-tight, 
so that wind will drive into the house only a 
short distance and never back to the roosts, 
which are on the north side. There is a grad- 
ual movement of the air from the inside out, 
thus insuring an abundance of ventilation with- 
out drafts. Open-front ventilation has an ad- 
vantage over all other ventilation because it re- 
quires no adjusting, never plugs up, and always 
works. This type of ventilation will adapt it- 
self to temperature changes without the con- 
stant attention of the attendant and in this way 
reduces to a minimum the labor of caring for 
the house. It probably meets the require- 
ments of a simple efficient farm poultry house 
more nearly than any house that has been pre- 
viously designed. The walls are of car siding, 
running up and down which forms a tight and 
attractive wall. The roof is made up of ship- 
lap covered with shingles. 



44 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



The floor is made of dirt, which is an 
economical and durable type. Dirt floors 
are very efificient if properly constructed. 
In constructing a dirt floor there should be 
a wall six to eight inches high. A fill of 
four inches of coarse material, such as cin- 
ders, should be made to prevent damp 
floors. On top of the tamped cinders 
should be placed two or three inches of 
damp clay, which should be packed well 
and then permitted to dry so that it will 
harden. On top of the clay should be 
placed half an inch of loose dirt. The clay 
prevents the di:t and straw from mixing 
with the cinders to such an extent as to 
cause the moisture to rise. A covering of 
a foot or more of straw will keep the floor 
dry at all times. 

The greatest objections to dirt floors 
are: (1) the possible invasion of rats; (2) 
the fact that the straw will become dirty quicker than 
with a concrete floor; and (3) dustiness, which in many 





PIG. 77— EXD ELEVATION OF COLD CLIMATE HOUSE 

cases has caused throat trouble. However, because of the 
low cost of construction, the dirt floor can be safely rec- 
ommended and it will prove very 
efficient. 

The roosts should be at the back 
or north side and all on the same 
level. They should be four feet 
above the floor, 14 inches from the 
wall, and 12 inches apart, and made 
of 2x4's with rounded corners. Poles 
two inches in diameter, if firmly 
placed, will serve the purpose near- 
ly as well. Eight inches beneath the 
roosts is placed the droppings plat- 
form, which keeps the floor clean 
and increases the floor space avail- 
able for other purposes. Underneath 
the droppings platform are placed 
the nests. There should be eight 
inches of roosting place for each 
bird and one nest for every six or 
seven hens. 

Joists or collar beams are placed 
in the house just high enough to af- 
ford head room. In order to pre- 
vent the birds from roosting on 
these, they are covered with inch 
boards, 4 inches wide, placed two 



PIG. 78— FRONT ELEVATION OF MISSOURI POULTRY HOUSE 
Reproduced from Bui. SO, University of Missouri. 



inches apart. This forms a loft which is filled with straw. 
The straw acts as a sort of sponge by absorbing both 
dampness and heat and helps to keep the house drier in 
the winter and cooler in the summer. 

In most sections it will probably cost about $120.00 to 
build this house, aside from the painting. It will ac- 
commodate from 120 to 175 hens, depending in part on 
the breed, making the cost about $1.00 per hen or a little 
less. Plans for constructing this house are shown in 
Figs. 75, 76 and 78, and the complete house in Fig. 74. 

Bllili OP MATERIALS 

Use Pieces Size Bd. Feet 

Rafters 22 2x4-12 176 

Plates and sills 8 2x4-20 107 

Studding and frames 1 2x4-10 7 

Roosts 5 2x4-20 74 

Finishing 6 1x4-10 20 

Finishing 1 1x4-16 6 

Finishing 4 1x4-10 14 

Finishing 8 1x4-12 32 

Floor for loft 52 1x4-14 260 

Car siding for walls — 1x6-10 600 

Shiplap for roof and drop, plat — 1x8-12 720 

Shingles — 5V^M. 

Sashes — 7 6-light, 8xl0-inch glass. 

Wire netting for windows and front — 3x32. 

Hinges — 1 pair. 

Foundation — 3 cu. ft. of concrete. 

• From Missouri Experiment Station Circular 80. 




FIG. 79 — CROSS SECTION OF COLD CLIMATE HOUSE 



f 



CHAPTER IV 



Laying Houses to Meet Special Conditions 

Laying Houses Especially Designed to Meet the Requirements of Cold and Warm Climates— Houses With Open-Front 
and Semi-Monitor Roofs— Block and Concrete Houses— Numerous Houses Designed to Meet Special Con- 
ditions, That Are in Everyday Use by Practical Poultry Keepers in This Country and Canada. 



aNIFORMITY in poultry-house design, as has been 
stated elsewhere in this book, is highly desirable 
nnnjn so far as it can be attained without sacrificing 
^u£9 convenience or efficiency. What may be called 
the "general-purpose" types, illustrated and described in 
the preceding chapter, probably will meet the require- 
ments of the great majority of poultry keepers without 




FIG. 80 — FRONT VIEW ELEVATION OF COLD CLIMATE HOUSE 



change or modification in any essential particular. There 
are, however, special conditions, due to climate, location, 
or the use to which the house is to be put, that make it 
more practical to adopt some special type of construc- 
tion than to adhere to a standard plan, regardless of how 
desirable it may be to do so, in a general way. Each 
individual must decide for himself what is required in 
his particular case. In the following pages will be found 
plans for a number of houses designed to meet unusual 
conditions and requirements. It must be a very difficult 
problem, indeed, for which a suitable solution cannot be 
found among these. 

A LAYING HOUSE FOR COLD CLIMATES 

Straw-Loft Houses Are Highly Desirable in Extremely 

Cold Climates. They Are Comfortable, Dry, 

and Well Ventilated. 

What is known as the "straw-loft" house is one of 
the most desirable of special-type poultry houses. As a 



matter of fact, nothing but the high cost of building this 
house starlds in the way of its general adoption in all 
sections of the country. The thick blanket of straw in 
the gable not only makes the pen warmer in winter, but 
keeps it cooler in summer. It also absorbs moisture and 
keeps the house dry. There is a marked increase m in- 
terest in straw-loft houses where extreme cold must be 
encountered. Aside from the gable 
roof, straw-filled loft, and double 
walls, this house does not differ ma- 
terially from the one described on 
pages 35 to 2,1, and all that is said 
there in legard to the foundation, 
floors and fixtures applies with equal 
force to this house. It is especially 
desirable to have a concrete founda- 
tion and floor with double-walled 
houses, as the space between the 
walls makes an excellent hiding place 
for rats. When once they have ob- 
tained a foothold it is entirely diffi- 
cult to dislodge them, and even more 
so if they gain access to straw loft. 
In finishing the loft it is wise to 
provide a trap door in the ceiling so 
that the straw can be thrown down 
into the house instead of having to fork it all out at the 
gable doors. This trap need only consist of a few slats 
with a batten at each end, cutting these long enough to 
reach across to the permanent slats on either side, which 
will hold the door in place without hinges or other fast- 
ening. 

In filling the loft, which usually will be done in the 
fall, use good, clean straw, free from mold, dust, or chaff. 
Chaffy straw will pack too tight, interfering with ventila- 
tion. The material should be filled in loosely, almost to 
the ridge, starting at the farther end and working back 
without tramping. Filled in this way the material will 
settle just enough to leave a good-sized open space be- 
low the ridge, which is essential to proper circulation 
of air. 

Fig. 79 shows a cross-section of the house with wall 
nests, perches, etc. The slats that are to hold the straw 
in place should be nailed securely to the underside of 
the oveihead joists and may be spaced quite a bit further 
apart than shown in the plan if it is desired to economize 




FIG. 81— SECTION OF FRONT ELEVATION OF COMPART MENT HOUSE FOR WARM CLIMATES 



46 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



on lumber. Where long straight poles are obtainable 
these may be usfd in place of sawecj strips. Whether 
strips or poles are used, it is a good plan to lay a single 
wide board across the top face of the joists, immediately 
under the ridge, in order to have secure footing when it 
is necessary to enter the loft. It will be noted that no 
rear ventilators are provided in this plan. With a straw 
loft and with the louvered ventilators on hinges like 
doors, so that they may be thrown wide open in warm 
weather, no additional ventilation is needed in the north. 
The floor plan for this house is the same as the one for 
curtain-front house described on pages 35 to i7 . 

I'ig. 80 gives the front elevation, with dimensions for 
windows and curtained openings clearly indicated. Fig. 
77 shows end elevation, with location and size of venti- 
lator door in gable. 

DILL OF MATERHLS 

,,^ Size Length No. of H^marV.; 

Inches Fe. t Pieces KemarKs 

Sills, sides 2x4 12 4 

Sills, ends 2x4 16 2 

Plates, sides 2x4 Ifi 3 

Plates, ends 2x4 16 2 

Studs 2x4 14 44 One piece cuts 2. 

Studs, gable and 

miscellaneous 2x4 10 8 

Rafters 2x5 10 26 

Ridge 1x6 12 2 

Ties 2x5 16 11 

Staybraces 1x6 8 11 One piece cuts 2. 

Supports for drop- 
pings platform 2x4 12 4 

Perches 2x4 12 6 48 Round edge. 

Surf. 4 sides. 

Sills for curtains... 2x8 10 1 121/2 Milled, cuts 2. 

Sills for windows- 2x8 12 1 15 Milled, cuts 3. 

?iding %x6 730 ft. bd. meas. 

Roof boards '/sxlO 260 ft. bd. meas. .Surfaced 2 sides. 

Flooring for ceil'g, 
drop, plat form, 

door, etc %x4 800 ft. bd. meas. 

Trim lumber %x4 300 lin. ft. Surfaced. 

Strips for loft %x3 800 lin. ft. Surfaced. 

Door and v^^indow 

frames %x6 90 lin. ft. Surfaced. 

Strip under shut's.. %x3>/4 8 lin. ft. Cuts 3. Surfaced. 

Strip base of win- 
dow y8x2% 8 lin. ft. Cuts 3. Surfaced. 

Frame for shutters.. %x2 30 lin. ft. Cuts 3. Surfaced. 

Frame & louvering 

for gable doors... %x4 50 lin. ft. Cuts 3. Surfaced. 

Weather strips for 

windows & doors.. %x% 30 lin. ft. Cuts 2. Surfaced. 

6 squares of prepared roofing. 

6 window sashes. 11,4-inch, 6-light, 10xl2-inch glass. 



70 sq. ft. 1-inch netting for openings and windows. 

30 sq. ft. unbleached muslin for curtains. 

2 4-inch hasps for gable door. 

6 anchor bolts, M!Xl2-inch, with 2-inch washers for 

1 pr. 8-inch T-strap hinges for outside door. 

1 6-inch hasp for outside door. 

2 pr. 2%-inch butt hinges for shutters. 

3 pr. 2-inch butt hinges for windows. 

2 pr. 4-inch T-strap hinges for gable doors. 

3 pr. 4-inch strap hinges for perch supports. 
6 ft. chain for sash holders. 

10 2-inch screw hooks and eves for windows, etc. 
Nails, taclts, and paint. 

MATERIALS FOR FOUNDATION AND FLOOR 

57 sacks Portland cement. 

140 cu. ft. of sand. 

200 cu. ft. of crushed stone or gravel. 

140 cu. ft. of cinders or stone for filling. 



M.ATEHIALS FOR "WALL NESTS 



Us 



ize 


Length 


chcs 


Feet 


xlO 


30 lin. f 


xlO 


55 lin. f 


x7 


40 lin. f 


x8 


30 lin. f 


x7 


30 lin. f 


x6 


30 lin. f 


x7 


25 lin. f 


x4 


30 lin. f 


x2 


30 lin. f 


x4 


25 lin. f 


x% 


25 lin. f 



Top % 

Back % 

Sides % 

Bottoms % 

Bottoms % 

Foot boards % 

Partitions % 

Front boards, bottom % 

Front boards, top % 

Support for running boards % 

Strips for partitions % 

All boards surfaced 2 sides. 

6 pr. 1-inch butt hinges. 
12 2-inch screw hooks and eyes. 



m.4lTerials for platform nests 

If platform nests are preferred instead of wall nests 
the following material will be required for four sets, five 
nests each: 



Use 



Size 
Inche 



No. of 
Pieces 



Doors %x7 12 2 

Front base %x6 12 2 

Bottom %xl2 12 2 

Rear base %x4 12 2 

Top strips %x2 12 4 

Partitions %xll 10 3 

Running boards %x6 12 2 

Brackets %x4 8 5 

All boards surfaced 2 «ides. 
4 pr. of 2V4-inch T-strap hinges. 

The various details of construction which apply gen- 
erally to this and all .similar houses, will be found in 
Chapter I, under appropriate headings. While the bill 0/ 
materials specifies prepared roofing, good shingles, if ob- 
tainable at reasonable cost, will be found more satisfac- 
tory and will last longer. 



- s^uf^.^ Z.' On Cente>-s 




FIG. 82— FLOOR PLAN OF COMPARTMENT LAYING HOUSE FOR WARM CLIMATES 



LAYING HOUSES TO MEET SPECIAL CONDITIONS 



47 



^'O Partem ipacesBei^^eef 2'°on Ce.nTG.i-s 

n n n d n__n a n n n 



hill 



Fou.ndstion'^all "^ST^^^'SiU 
- — 35'°'— 

FIG. S3 — FRAMING THE FRONT OF WARM CLIMATE HOUSE 



A LAYING HOUSE FOR WARM CLIMATES 
Provides Extra Ventilation Required in All Warm Cli- 
mates. Is Not Too Deep, and Front is Shaded 
By Wide Eave. 

While the house described on pages 38 to 40 may be 
adapted to the requirements of warm climates by making 
suitable changes in ventilation, there are some features 
that are especially desirable in mild climates that are not 
needed or wanted elsewhere. For this reason plans for a 
special warm-climate house have been prepared. This 
hbuse can be built in any number of pens desired, the 
one' here illustrated affording ample accommodations for 
900 to 1000 fowls, or about 150 to the pen. The rule of 
four square feet to the fowl, which applies generally 
wherever fowls must be kept in confinement for long pe- 
riods of time, does not hold wher£ they can be out most 
of the time and where the house is mainly a place for 
roosting and for providing accommodations for nests, 
feed hoppers, etc. 

The foundation and floor as shown in the cross- 
section. Fig. 85, are of concrete. It will be noted that 
the foundation wall is carried up a foot above the floor, 
the purpose of this being to protect the sills frorri decay 
and insure a dry floor. It is planned to have the floor a 
foot above the ground level, but if the site is well drained, 
six inches will be enough. General details of foundation, 
floor, and anchorage are as described in Chapter I. 

To afford protection from the sun, the front eave is 
extended so as to form a permanent canopy over the front 
of the house. Some builders go a step further than this 
and make the canopy six feet or more wide, enclosing the 
space and using it as a sort of shaded runway. This is an 
excellent plan and adds but little to the cost of the house. 
Where this is to be done it is advisable to provide a plain 
shed roof over the main part of the house (16 feet) and 
then extend the canopy as far for- 
ward as desired, sloping it to the 
front. This can be done without 
changing or interfering in any man- 
ner with the plans of the house as 
here given, except to use 18-foot 
rafters. 

Fig. 82 shows floor plan, with 
location of all fixtures. The house 
for which this plan was originally 
prepared was to be equipped with 
trapnests as shown. As a smaller 
number of hens can be accommo- 
dated per nest where trap-nests are 
used, additional nests had to be pro- 
vided along the wall or partition. 
The plan for these nests will be 
found in Chapter X. and a bill of 
materials given. If ordinary plat- 
form nests are to be used, the space 



under the platform will accommodate all 
the nests needed, building them as de- 
scribed in Chapter X. 

The difficulty of controlling lice and 
mites is much greater in warm climates 
than in the north and it is always ad- 
visable to provide lice-proof metal perch 
supports, as shown. Where these are 
installed and properly looked after, 
there is no possibility of mites passing 
from the perches to the wall and plat- 
form, resulting sooner or later in a 
mite-infested house which can only be 
cleaned by the most painstaking efforts. Fig. 37 shows 
the type of rear ventilator in general use in the south. 
No harm will result from having this open directly into 
the house, but it is desirable to have the perches suffici- 
ently below the opening so that the fowls on them will 
not be in a direct draft. 




FIG. 84 — AN. OPEN FRONT HOUSE AT GEORGIA 
EXPERIMENT STATION 

Houses of this general type are in successful use In 
all parts of the South — generally with muslin curtains 
for additional winter protection. 



The opening for the rear ventilator should be at 
least 10 inches wide, and should run the entire length of 
the building. It is enclosed on the inside vv^th one-i;ich 
poultry netting. Two six-light window sashes should be 
placed in the rear wall in each pen, under the droppings 
platform. These are provided as much for coolness as 
for light. 

Fig. 81 shows the front elevation, with dimensions 
of openings, which may be prptected with muslin curtains 
on the outside of the building, as shown in Fig. 89, on 




&«guNO 



CROSS SECTION OF WARM CLIMATE HOUSE 



48 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




FIG. 86 — END ELEVATION OF WARM CLIMATE HOUSE 

page 49. Fig. 83 shows the method of framing the 
front with all necessary dimensions. Fig. 86 shows 
method of enclosing the ends, leaving a large ventilator 
opening in each gable, to be protected with poultry 
netting. 



BILL OF MATERIALS 



Us 



Siz 



Inches 

Sills, sides 2x4 

Sills, ends 2x4 

Plates and stringers 2x4 

Base of partitions 2x4 

Studs, front 2x4 

Studs, back 2x4 

Studs, ends, part'ns, etc .2x4 

Ridge plate 2x4 

Center posts 4x4 

Ties _ 1x6 

Rafters, front 2x6 

Rafters, rear 2x6 

Support for drop, plat 2x4 

Perches 2x4 

Sills for front open's 2x6 

T & G siding 1x6 

Roof boards 1x10 

(If gralvanized roofing is 

used substitute 1400 s. f. 

1x4 strips.) 
Flooring- bds. for plat'ms, 

doors, partitions, etc 1x4 

Trim lumber 1x4 

Door frame 1x5 

T & G boards for hop's.. ..1x6 



Length No. of 
Feet Pieces 



One piece cuts 2. 
One piece cuts 2. 
One piece cuts 2. 



12 



10 74 

16 40 One piece cuts 2. 

14 78 

10 30 

12 36 

8 20 One piece cuts 2. 
2000 ft. bd. meaa 
3500 ft. bd. meas. Surfaced. 



800 .s. f. 
160 lin. ft. 
160 lin. ft. 
160 lin. ft. 
170 lin. ft. 
260 lin. ft, 
160 lin. ft. 



1900 ft. bd. meas 
1600 ft. bd. meas. Sfcd. 4 Sds. 
40 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides. 
800 sq. ft. 

,nA? squares prepared roofing or galvanized roofing. 
22 ^' ',-°' l-'"<^h wire netting for front, partitions, etc. 
30 anchor bolts. %xl2-inch, with 2 2-in. washers for each. 

2 pr. 8-inch T-strap hinges for outside doors. 

6 pr. double-acting spring hinges for partition doors. 
12 pr. 6-inch strap hinges for rear ventilating doors. 

3 dozen 2-inch hooks and eyes. 

12 pr. 4-inch strap hinges for perch supports; or 36 pairs 
metal perch supports. 
Nails, staples and paint. 

MATERIALS FOR TRAP NESTS 
(See Chap. X.) 

Sides and bottoms. T & G boards %x4 

Top rail of partitions %x2 

Top rail of ends %xli4 

Bottom rail of ends %x3 

Side rail of ends 7ix2 

Strips %ii% 

Partition strips %x2% 

All boards to be surfaced 4 sides. 
Galvanized doors, wire, staples and wooden triggers 

MATERIALS FOR PL.\TFORM NESTS 
(24 sets of 4 nests each. To be svibstituted for trap-r 
if preferred.) 

Size Length > 

„ tTse Inches Feet P 

Door 7,^x7 10 

Front base %x6 10 

Bottom 7^x12 10 

Rear base •. %x4 10 

Partitions 7^x11 10 

Running boards %-k6 10 

Top, str'P^ %x2 10 

Uprights 2x4 10 

Brackets 1x4 10 

All boards to be surfaced 4 sides. 

30 pr. 21^-inch T-strap hinges for nest doors. 

MATERIALS FOR FOtJND.4TION AND FLOOR 

230 bags Portland cement. 

660 cu. ft. of sand. 

900 cu. ft. gravel or crushed stone. 

800 cu. ft. of cinders or stone for filling. 



BILL OF MATERIALS FOR BOARD FLOOR 

If a board floor is preferred for this house instead of 
concrete, the following lumber will be required: 

Use ,^'" H"^."' ?°- °' Remarks 

'^^'^ Inches Feet Pieces 

Posts, wood, stone or concrete. .8x8 5 60 

Sills, sides 2x8 16 40 Doubled. 

Sills, ends 2x8 16 4 Doubled. 

Bridging 1x2 .... 750 lin. ft. 

Joists 2x8 16 75 

T & G flooring 3,000 s. f. 

Posts to be spaced 6 feet apart, set 2 feet deep and 
leveled 3 feet above the surface of the ground. If building 
is on sloping ground, posts are to be leveled so that sill 
will be at least 18 inches from the ground at point nearest 
the ground. 

600 sq. ft. of siding will enclose underpart on three 
sides, leaving the front open. 

OTHER WARM CLIMATE HOUSES 

Various Types of Practical Houses in Successful Use 

in the South. 

The illustrations on this and the following pages 
show other types of houses that are in successful use in 
the south, all indicating that protection from enemies and 
from rain and sun is about the only imperative condition 
that must be met. No detailed description of these houses 
need be given, as their construction is of the simplest na- 
ture. They are illustrated here simply to show the differ- 
ent methods that may be successfully employed to secure 
a free circulation of air without which poultry houses in 
warm climates will prove unendurable for fowls in the 
hot season. 

Fig. 89 shows a -house in the Morristown (Tenn.) 
district. With slight modifications houses of this type 
will be found all through this section. The muslin cur- 
tains are fastened to wires at top and bottom by means 
of small rings, and slide back and forth to open and close. 
The curtains are on the outside of the front and high 
winds simply blow them back against the netting, which 
supports them so that they do not whip back and forth 
to any great extent. Because of this freedom from whip- 
ping these loose curtains appear to last about as long as 
muslin tacked to frames. 

The house here shown is built with a plain-shed roof 
and the entire front, from the top plate to within about 




FIG. 87— A GOOD HOUSE FOR SEMI-TROPI(;.\L 
CLIMATE 

This house was designed for use in the semi-tropical 
climate of the extreme southern part of the United States. 
Maximum air circulation is secured and eaves are made 
extra wide for shade. 

three feet of the ground, is left entirely open except for 
the curtains. In the comparatively mild climate of Ten- 
nessee this construction provides a good degree of win- 
ter comfort for the fowls and plenty of ventilation for 
summer. Throughout the south generally, wide houses 



LAVING HOUSES TO MEET SPECIAL CONDITIONS 



49 




PIG. 88 — DETAIL OF FRONT 
WARM CLIMATE HOUSE 



are not considered desirable on account of the difficulty 
of making them cool in summer, and they seldom are 
built over 16 feet in depth, unless with a semi-monitor 
roof. So far as the general details of construction and 
arrangements are concerned, the house illustrated in Fig. 

89 does not dif- 
fer materially from 
the six - compart- 
ment house shown 
in Figs. 81 to 86, 
aside from the fact 
that low-cost con- 
struction as d e - 
scribed on page 
37, is almost in- 
variably adopted. 

Fig. 84 shows 
a practical laying 
house on the poul- 
try plant of the 
Georgia Experi- 
ment Station. It 
is built with a 
combination roof 
and a wide eave 
which shades the 
front — a highly de- 
sirable feature in 
warm climates. 
Houses in the 
south especially 
need rear ventila- 
tors as shown in 
Fig. 7)1, provid- 
ing not only the 
door under the eave, but also the windows under the 
droppings platform. It is just as important to protect 
fowls from heat here as it is to protect them from cold 
in the north, and there is no better means of doing this 
than in the manner just suggested. 

Where English sparrows are numerous, it will pay 
well to use one-half or three-quarter-inch netting on all 
openings in poultry houses, as the birds can get through 
ordinary inch-mesh netting. Where the front is open 
practically all the time, as is the case in the south, these 
pests become thoroughly at home, multiply rapidly, 
thanks to the good feeding they are able to secure from 
the open hoppers, and in the course of a year's time con- 
sume great quantities of feed. 

The house described on pages 47 and 48 is designed 
for use in semi-tropical climates, where its free ventila- 
tion, combined with the shade afforded by the extra wide 
eaves, makes it particularly desirable. 
•Houses of similar wide-open con- 
struction can be used to excellent ad- 
vantage as colony houses for grow- 
ing stock in all parts of the south. 
The buildings usually provided for 
this purpose are almost invariably 
too close and warm. After settled 
weather chickens undoubtedly will do 
much better if given open-air condi- 
tions such as are afforded by this 
house. 

As here illustrated it is used for 
a laying flock, the nests being placed 
on the outside of the building and at- 
tached to it by means of stout hooks. 
The fowls reach the nests through 



suitable doors (seen on the left side), and eggs are gath- 
ered from the outside, the top being on hinges. The 
perches are arranged in two sets located on either side, 
with a three or four-font passageway through the cen- 
ter. They are liinged at the side to swing out of the 
way, and in this illustration are shown hooked up, as 
they usually are left during the day. Notice that the 
perches instead of being placed close together as is 
usually the practice in the north, are spaced wide apart 
so that the fowls will not be bunched on them at night. 

No droppings boards are provided for ordinary use. 
If a concrete floor is provided every practical require- 
ment is met by covering it with an inch or two of clean 
sand. For colony use the houses rest directly on the 
ground and instead of constant cleaning are simply 
moved to a new location from time to time. The top 
ventilator affords an outlet for the warm air in the 
upper part, this method of construction maintaining a 
constant circulation through the house even when there 
is no breeze at all. If to be used as a movable house, 
it will be necessary to brace it well, as there are no 
boards on the sides to help to stiflfen the frame, and it 
will quickly become racked out of shape unless thorough- 
ly braced at all corners. 

For use in the extreme south, where protection from 
extreme heat is the principal object sought, the house 
illustrated in Fig. 11, has been found very satisfac- 
tory. This house was designed by J. T. Gratigny of 
Southern Florida and is the result of many years' ex- 
perience in poultry keeping in that semi-tropical climate. 
The walls of the house consist exclusively of one-inch 
mesh netting and are about four feet high at the eaves. 
The nests are placed on the ground under the eaves and 
are entered by the hens from the house, while the eggs 
are gathered fromi the outside. The particular house 
here shown is portable and for that reason has no floor. 
For perinanent houses concrete floors are recommended. 
The perches are placed on horizontal frames located on 
each side of the house, with a four-foot passageway 
through the center. Perches are about three feet above 
the floor and the frames are hinged at back to swing up 
out of the way when droppings are to be cleaned out. 

AN OPEN FRONT LAYING HOUSE 

This Type of House is Quite Popular in Sections Where 

Winters Are Not Too Severe. Front is 

Always Open. 

The house shown in Figs. 90 and 91 represents one 
method of open-front construction. No curtains of any 
sort are provided for this house as regularly planned, the 




LARGE LAYING HOUSE IN MORRISTOWN (TENN.) DISTRICT 



FIG. 

Curtains usually are closed only in extremely cold weather but, as in 
the case with the house illustrated above, they may be partially drawn in 
warm ■weather to provide shade. 



50 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




l-l'i ■'" -\ T'llTLAl; 'jl'K.V-FI:' iNT il'jL'SE 

low front and shape of roof being depended upon to keep 
Tain and snow from beating in. For a small house, where 
the owner wishes to be free from the necessity of adjust- 
ing curtains to meet changing weather conditions, and 
with small-combed fowls, this plan gives good results. It 
is being used successfully even in comparatively cold cli- 
mates. The following description of this house is by the 
originator, Jos. Tolman: 

"This fresh-air house is a very simple one to con- 
struct, as will be seen by noting the photographic view 
and plans. It is a plain hip-roofed building with the long 
pitch of the roof to the front or south. The roof and 
closed sides are of one-inch boards, shingled, making tight 
walls and roof. The eaves are about four feet from the 
ground and the peak of the roof is a little over seven feet. 
The house is eight feet wide by 14 feet long, and has a 
window in the center of the west side and a door in the 
center of the east side, directly opposite the window. In 
operating this house in summer, both the door and 
window are removed and replaced with wire nettmg. The 
south front is always open, being closed in by one-inch 
wire netting only. This part of the house is wheie it differs 
from other fresh-air plans. The house is run wide open in 
front both night and day, storm and sunshine, all the year 
around. A gate is provided in this wire front to give the 
birds access to the yard. 

"For those who are using the Tolman house in ex- 
ceptionally bleak, cold locations, I recommend the use of 
a coarse, unbleached muslin curtain immediately in front 
of the roosts. The location of the roosts in my improved 
houses gives an excellent opportunity to place this cur- 
tain in front of the same so that it can be operated con- 
veniently, thus insuring the best results in the coldest 
climate in America. The muslin curtain should be loosely 
tacked upon a light wooden frame, the frame being hung 
with hinges from the front roof directly in front of the 
ends of the two side roosts and should extend no lower 
than the droppings board. During the day when not in 
use, the curtain can be fastened up to the roof out of the 
way by means of a wooden button, conveniently placed. 
If, on the last visit to the house at night, the attendant 
thinks that the temperature is going to be many degrees 
below zero, the curtain may be dropped. My advice is 
never to use the curtain except in the most extreme cold 
weather, when the temperature is zero or below. I prefer 
to place the curtain in front of the roosts rather than in 
the front part of the house, for if used as I advise, more 
animal heat is retained and practically the same amount 
of fresh air reaches the birds, owing to the arrangement 
of the roosts and droppings board and the position of the 
curtain or muslin screen. 



M.VTERIAL. FOR HOUSES 8x14 FEET 

300 sq. ft. hemlock boarding. 
40 lln. ft. of 2x4 joists. 
157 lin. ft. of 2x3 joists. 
1 window, 7x8-inch elass. 
Window frame for same. 
I'/t M. shingles to be laid 5 in. for roof. 
1 !/■> M. shingles laid 6 in, for sides. 

"From observations I have made I am sure that the 
most practical and economical house will be one about 
half as large again, or I would have my dimensions 14 
feet wide, by 21 feet deep, with six-foot posts on the north 
end, 4>4-foot posts on the south end, and a large window 
in the west side. The highest part of the roof would be 
about 10 feet from the ground. You would then have a 
house, ideal for all kinds of weather and locations, that 
would accommodate from 65 to 80 layers, according to 
the breed, and from four to five males, and at a very 
small additional cost over the figures given for the 8x14- 
foot house." 

SMALL HOUSE WITH SEMI-MONITOR ROOF 

Lower Front of This House is Always Left Open. 

Sunlight Reaches Rear Part Through 

Upper Windows. 

The semi-monitor roof house is meeting with some 
degree of popularity and appears to be practical and de- 
sirable under certain conditions. The purpose of this 
type of construction is to secure improved ventilation and 
to get direct sunlight in the back part of the house. It 
would appear to be especially fitted for use in houses 20 




FIG. 91 — PLANS FOR OPEN-FRONT POULTRY HOUSE 
1 — Floor plan, showing location of platform, nests, etc. 
2 — East end, showing location of door and studa; 3 — West 
end, with position of window and studs. For construction 
of front, see illustration reproduced from photo of house 
as it appears in actual use (Fig. 90). 



LAYING HOUSES TO MEET SPECIAL CONDITIONS 



51 




SIDE-SECTION OF SEMI-MONITOR POULTRY HOUSE 



feet or more in width, also in the south where high roofs 
are not objectionable. 

In the north semi-monitor houses are open to criti- 
cism, as they are almost always drafty in cold weather, 
and it frequently is necessary to put up muslin screens 
in front of the perches to protect the fowls while on the 
roost. In wide houses it sometimes is desirable also 
to divide the house through the middle with a muslin 
partition to prevent drafts on the floor. Figures 92 
and 93 illustrate a house of this type, which is described 
by the designer, Dr. P. T. Woods, as follows: 

"The plans given herewith are for an open-air house 
10 feet wide by fourteen feet deep. A 10xl4-foot house 
will accommodate 35 layers and may be used satisfac- 
torily for smaller flocks of from 12 to 25 breeders. The 
plans are for a colony house, but same may be consid- 
ered as the first sections of a continuous house, if 
desired. 

"Fig. 92 shows side (sectional) elevation. Position 
of posts, studs, plates and rafters is clearly shown. Dotted 
lines show position of window in the west wall. Door 
placed between two highest studs in east 
wall, with bottom just below top of sill 
to break joint and stop draft. Door 
opens outward and hinges on the north 
side. A screen door of one-inch mesh 
hexagon netting should be made to 
open in, just inside solid door. This is 
useful in summer or at any time when 
it is desired to have door, open. It will 
be noted that the south front is boarded 
down six inches from the top and up 
18 inches from the bottom. The bal- 
ance of space is always open, being cov- 
ered only by one-quarter-inch square- 
mesh galvanized wire netting. The act- 
ual opening in front is two and one- 
half feet high by about 10 feet wide. 
X is a 12-inch board notched to receive 
rafters, and is nailed to upright stud^ 
to serve the double purpose of a sup 
port for front rafters and as a stop draft, 
XX is litter board, extending fromflcMir 
level to four to six inches above .';ill, 
and should be used to keep litter in 
rear section of house. It should be 
made removable, resting in cleats. The 
front section of the house should have 



sand or earth floor only. In the rear 
section use clean, new straw litter. 
This house may be made with sand 
or gravel floor filled in to top of sill, 
but we would prefer a cement or con- 
crete floor (rat proof) to bottom of 
sill and filled in with sand and litter 
to top of sill. 

"Where ground is level house 
stands with bottom of sills on posts 
or rock six inches above ground level 
and is boarded down to ground. 
Height at peak is 8 ft.; at back, 5 ft.; 
at north end of front section, S ft. 
6 in., and at front, 4 ft. 6 in. — all 
measurements from ground. 

A house built after the foregoing 
plans is shown in Fig. 93. To 
make it ratproof it was built with a 
double-boarded floor and was placed 
on posts, protected with inverted 
metal pans, as showo." The following is the bill of ma- 
terials for this house: 

6 posts 7 ft. long: to cut in t'wo. 

2 pieces 4x4 in., 14 ft. long for side sills. 

2 pieces 4x4 in. 10 ft. long for end sills. 

4 pieces 2x3 in. 3 ft. 8 in. long for back studs. 

3 pieces 2x3 in. 5 ft. long for studs. 

2 pieces 2x3 in. 5 ft. 8 in. long for studs. 

3 pieces 2x3 in. 6 ft. 4 in. long for studs. 

2 pieces 2x3 in. 4 ft. long for studs. 

4 pieces 2x3 in. 3 ft. 4 in. long for studs. 

3 pieces 2x3 in. 10 ft. long for plates. 

2 pieces 2x3 in. 10 ft. long for droppings boards supports. 

2 pieces 2x3 in. 10 ft. long, with rounded edges, for roosts. 

5 pieces 2x4 in. 8 ft. 9 in. long for rear rafters. 
5 pieces 2x4 in. 6 ft. long for front rafters. 

58 sq. ft. matched boards for droppings board and door. 

460 sq. ft. common boards for sides and roof. 

1 full window (2 sash six-light) 4 ft. 3 in. x 2 ft. 6 in. 

3 three-light cellar window sash for monitor top. 

10 running feet of 14 -inch, square-me.sh, heavy galvanized 
wire netting, 30 in. wide for open front. 
500 sq. ft. best roofing fabric with caps and nails. 
Bundle shingles for making eaves on north and south sides. 
Nails, hinges, spikes, screws, etc. 

This plan may readily be adapted to a house of 
larger size by making the following changes: For a col- 
ony house to accommodate a flock of about 100 hens, 
or for sections of the same capacity in a continuous 




3 — 8MALL SliiMI-iMOiS'lTlJli I'OULTl;! ii-j'u.-ii^ 



52 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



^^nnti 



house, it is recommended that the 
floor dimensions be 20x20 feet, with 
the rear section 12 feet deep. The 
rear should be 5j^ feet high, and the 
front of the monitor section 9 feet. 
The low section should be 6 feel 
where it joins the monitor section, 
and \yi feet in the front. Four d 
light sashes should be provided fm 
the monitor top. Two sashes of tin 
same size are placed side by side in 
the west wall — opposite the door — 
and another is placed well up in the 
front section, on the east side near 
the door. A solid partition reaching 
from floor to roof is placed in the 
middle of the pen and extending to 
within 9 ft. 6 in. of the fnmt, froir 
which point an 18-inch partition ex- 
tends clear to the front. This partition is to protect the 
fowls from drafts while on the perches and on the floor. 
If a continuous house is built it is recommended that 
solid partitions be provided between pens. 

SEMI-MONITOR HOUSE AT OHIO EXP. STATION 

Large Houses of This Type Must Have the Front 

Enclosed With Glass and Muslin for Use 

in Cold Weather. 

By \\. J. IIUSS 

This house is 24x100 feet in size. It is divided into 
six pens, each 15x24 feet, and a feed room, 10x24 feet. 
The feed room is located in the center of the house. Par- 
titions of matched sheathing divide the feed room from 
the pens. Partitions of two-inch mesh poultry netting 
are used to divide the pens. 

A concrete foundation wall is used under the house. 
A tile drain was laid, in the outside bottom of the trench 
dug for the wall. No wooden sills are used on the con- 
crete wall. The studs are fastened to the wall by means 
of an iron pin placed in the bottom of each and in the 
concrete wall. 

No artificial floors are used in the pens. K concrete 
floor is used in the feed room. On ground that is not 





FIG. 95— A SIX-PEN SEMI-MONITOR LAYING HOUSE 
The house illustrated above is in successful use on the poultry plant 
of the Ohio E.Kperiraent Station and is recommended by the Station as adapted 
to Ohio conditions generally. The narrower openings in the lower front 
are protected by muslin shutters in severe weather. The larger openmgrs, 
also all those in the upper front, are equipped with glass sashes — not all in 
place at time photo was taken. 

well drained, artificial floors would prob.-ibly be needed 
to prevent the pens from becoming damp. 

The deeper openings shown in the front of the house 
in Fig. 95 are fitted with windows for cold weather use; 
the shallower ones, with curtains. The curtain frames 
are made of lx4-inch strips, nailed together at the cor- 
ners. These frames are covered with a very thin grade of 
muslin. Two doors in the rear of each pen near the 
eaves are not shown in the illustrations. These are 20 
inches high and 45 inches long. All windows and cur- 
tained openings and openings for the doors in the rear 
of the house are closed with one-inch mesh wire netting. 
This netting in one of the curtained openings in each 
pen is fastened to a removable frame, which makes a 
convenient place through which to put straw into the 
pens and remove the litter. 

The windows in the upper part of the house are 
hmged at the bottom to swing in. The curtains and win- 
dows in the front of the house are hinged at the top to 
swing in. The doors in the rear wall of the house are 
hinged at the top to swing out. Probably a more con- 
venient arrangement for these would be to hang them to 
swing in. 

The walls of the house are of a single thickness of 
matched siding. The roof is made by laying one thick- 
ness of matched slieathing on the rafters and covering 
this with one of the better grades of 
prepared composition roofs, of which 
a number are on the market. 

A house of this type, of a size to 
accommodate the desired number of 
fowls, should prove satisfactory in 
places having the same latitude as 
Ohio, and probably even farther north 
or south. This house has been found 
especially satisfactory during hot 
weather. In colder climates the win- 
dows in the upper part of the house 
could probably well be double-glazed 
to prevent radiation to a considerable 
extent. It might appear, at first 
sight, that the cost of construction of 
a house of this type would be greater 
than of a shed roof house of the 
same dimensions. It will be found, 
however, that there will be very lit- 
tle, if any, difference in the cost, 
when both houses are built of the 
same grade of material. 



-ET.KVATED POULTRY HOUSE AT MISSOURI STATE POULTRY 
EXPERIMENT STATION 



f 



LAYING HOUSES TO MEET SPECIAL CONDITIONS 



53 



LAYING HOUSE WITH ELEVATED FLOOR 

Houses With Floors Several Feet Above Ground Are 

Especially Well Adapted to Damp Locations 

Under many conditions, especially in flat, damp loca- 
tions, a house vifith an elevated floor is often desired. The 
house illustrated in Fig. 94 is one that has been in use at 
'the Missouri State Poultry Experiment Stat. and is 
highly recommended. The general details of tliis house 
will be readily understood from a short study of the illus- 
tration. It is 14x28 feet and has a capacity of over 100 
hens. The upper part is equipped with the slatted ventil- 
ators that were originated at this station. The lower story 
is five feet high, making it easy to work in. A substantial 
concrete foundation is provided, but the underpart lias a 
■dirt floor. The entire front underneath is open and in the 
coldest weather that may be expected at this station the 
fowls are comfortable and happy, wallowing in the dust 
■and soaking Jn the sunshine. Regarding this house, Dr. 
Patterson, formerly Director of the Station, writes: 

"We find the second story of this house to be drier 
than our one-story houses. The opening for the stairway 
which goes up on the inside of the house is under the 
droppings board, and as carbon dioxide is heavier than 
air, it gives an opportunity for it to pass out by going 
down through this opening. The lower story affords what 
we might term semi-outside conditions. The temperature 
and air are about the same as out of doors, but the birds 
are protected from the storm. 

"Where a number of hens are kept in one flock and 
more than one male is used, the fertility is much better 
with the two-story house, for there is always a boss in 
the flock, and as he cannot be upstairs and down at the 
same time, he cannot control the situation as he does in 
the one-story house. The contractors who have built our 
houses estimate that the cost of the two-story house will 
be the same as the one-story house with a concrete floor. 

"We find that with windows under the droppings 
board in the rear of the house, light is admitted to all parts 
of the floor, and as the hens usually scratch from the light 
in order to see their food, they keep the litter evenly dis 
tributed over the floor. We also find that the fowls like 
to be in a good light during bad days when they are con- 
fined to the house." 



WESTERN WASHINGTON POULTRY HOUSE 

Popular for Housing Large Flocks in the Northwest. 

Has Special Labor-Saving Attachment for Raising 

and Lowering Curtains. 

By GBO. R. SHOUP 

The plans show a house 20x50 which is designed to 
hold 300 Leghorn layers. Each bird has only 3'/} sq. ft. 
of floor space, but each also has 1000 sq. ft. to roam 
around in, and is far happier and more contented and will 
lay more eggs than though she had five "sq. ft., as in a 
house 8x12 with 20 birds. 

Walls. — In this climate double-wall construction is 
not necessary, and it is best to avoid it whenever possible. 
The double wall offers a convenient harbor for rats and 
mice as well as mites. Since the double wall is an expen- 
sive lu.xury, we advise doing away with the studding (the 
up-and-down 2x4's) entirely. To accomplish this we run 
the boards up and down. Along the top of the sill a 2.x2 
strip is spiked on top of the sills all the way around and 
■'4 of an inch from the outside edge. To this strip the 
boards are nailed, at the bottom, just flush with outside of 
the sill and resting on it. We insist that rear windows 
under the dropping boards are essential for the proper 
distribution of light so that the litter will not pile up. 
So in cutting boards for the rear wall, cut some of them 
the required length to cover the top of the window sash 
one inch. 

The inside of wall is then covered with a strip of 
light-weight asphalt paper, This paper is brought up 
two inches above the rear wall so that it can be cleated 
onto the ceiling or sheathing boards. This makes a per- 
fectly smooth inside wall which is both mite and wind- 
proof. The surfaced side of the lumber, which preferablv 
is dry 10-inch shiplap, is turned outside so that it can 
readily be painted. The dropping boards and windows 
cover the rest of the rear wall below the strip of asphalt 
paper on the inside, except the 12 to 15 inches between the 
windows, which should be whitewashed. The minimum 
height of rear wall should be 5 feet 4 inches, made by 
cutting a 16-foot board into three pieces. It should not 
be over 6 feet in any instance, as the roof of the roosting 
closet will be too far above the roosting birds to reflect 




PIG. 96— DIAGRAM OP FRONT, AND CURTAIN RAISING DEVICE FOR WEST. WASHINGTON LAYING HOUSE 

This illustration is reproduced from Western Washington Monthly Bulletin. It shows front of house for commer- 
cial laying flock, and method of adjusting curtain. See text for key to lettering. Complete plans on next page. 



54 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



their own heat, which is essential for their comfort in 
cold weather. 

Run the boards up and down in the two ends also, 
with the smooth side out, covering all the inside with 
asphalt paper. Leave a three-foot opening for a door 




'•Comrr>e nc in/ Pot 
•IVeofenr) Wa,sh/n<jffii-> i.'jrpf?r/me/ 



FIG. 97 — PLANS FOR BUIUDING THE WESTERN WASHINGTON POULTRl' 
HOUSE FOR COMMERCIAL, FLOCKS 
House as here planned is to be built with a board floor, but a concrete 
floor is recommended wherever possible to provide it. The house for which 
this plan was originally prepared was to be equipped with trap-nests, but 
reg-ular platform nests may be used instead. Note the incline at each end 
of the house leading- up to door, which is 16 inches above ground level. Note, 
also, manner of constructing dust bath, shown in cross section at lower 
right-hand corner. Reproduced from West. Washington Monthly Bulletin. 

6 feet 6 inches high. The front wall is seven feet high. 
It consists of one 12-inch board at the bottom, a 4-foot 
opening the entire length, and two 12-inch boards cleated 
together one above the other at the top. The 7-inch 
rafter notches are cut in the top board every 3 feet to 
correspond with the rear notches. 

Roof. — The front rafters are 2x6 inches 12-foot long 



and the rear 2x6 inches 14-foot long with a 3-foot eave 
in front and a 1-foot eave in the rear. This 3-foot eave 
in front gives a sightly appearance to the coop and af- 
fords the necessary protection to the opening with its 
curtain and the feed trough, which is required in this 
particularly rainy climate. We use an- 
18-inch eave over the gable ends with 
a 6-inch face board. This protects the 
ends, and especially the doors, so that 
they don't swell up and refuse to latch 
The comb of the roof is 10 feet from 
the floor. Use 10-inch shiplap for the 
sheathing boards. Shingles make the 
most durable roof, but require an enorm- 
ous amount of labor and time to lay and 
are not as warm as the prepared roofing. 
The cost, exclusive of labor, is about 
the same. 

Use lx6-in. x 16-ft. for rafter collar 
beams, bringing them dow^n as low as 
is consistent with ample head room. 
These act as girds and really hold the 
building together. 

The Floor — If cement is used, use one 
and one-half inches of a 1-3-5 mixture 
for the base and one-half inch of a 1-1 
mixture for the top. If boards, use 2x4 
joists, supported every S feet on 4x4 
sills, made of 2x4's spiked together. No. 
3, 4-inch flooring gives a satisfactory 
chicken coop floor. 

Dusting Bath — Reserve 18 inches of 
the entire length of the front, floor area 
of. the coop for a dusting bath. This 
bath should be on the original soil, not 
on the floor of the coop. It should be 
at least 18 inches below the top of the 
12-inch board retaining the litter. If on 
top of the real ground it will stay moist 
and give more satisfaction to the birds, 
and besides will not need replenishing 
nearly so often. If too near the top of 
the litter board the birds will hop out 
with several pounds of dirt on their 
feathers and immediately shake it off on 
the nice clean litter. This dust bath is 
placed where the sun strikes it and 
makes the ideal location for all the 
water and milk receptacles, which are set 
in racks directly over it. 

The rolling curtaixi illustrated in Fig. 
96 can be either raised or lowered in 
a few seconds, and can easily be hand- 
led in one curtain 6 feet wide and 20 
feet long by one winding of the crank 
at the end. When not in use it is rolled 
up at least a foot above the opening 
under the eave and is kept perfectly 
clean and dry and ready for instant use 
whenever needed. The anchor ropes L 
and K wind up as the curtain comes 
down, and lock it at any height the operator chooses. 
The guard rails J placed at intervals of about 20 feet 
prevent the curtain sagging out when a door of the coop 
is opened, and an outward pressure of air is created. 

The roller is built up of 2-inch half rounds, which are 
nailed firmly together, enclosing the bottom of the cur- 
tain. This roller can be made any desired length simply 



LAYING HOUSES TO MEET SPECIAL CONDITIONS 



55 



HI 



FIG. 



by breaking joints. The hoisting de- 
vice may be described as one main 
line rope (wire preferred) which is 
attached to the loose ends of a series 
of loops. One end of each of these 
loops is anchored to the building 
above the top of the curtain, Figs. 
D, F and E. The loop is then 
brought down under the roller and 
run through a small iron awning pul- 
ley, which has been fastened securely 
to the overhanging eave close to the 
place where the end of the loop i^ 
anchored. The loose ends of loops 
are then tied to the main line, adjust- 
ing them so that they all lift at the 
same time when the main line is 
tightened. The loop nearest the 
crank D, B, N, H, has to be carried 
back on the main line far enough so 
that the knot H does not block the 

pulley M when the main line is wound up in raising the 
curtain. This necessitates the use of the extra pulley N. 
All other loops are duplicates of G, C, F, and are placed 
at intervals of IS feet when a 2-inch roller is used and 
at every 10 feet when a smaller roller is used. 

CANADIAN FARM POULTRY HOUSE 

Houses Built After This Plan Are in Use in Nearly 

Every Province in Canada and Give Excellent 

Satisfaction. 

By PROP. F. C. Ea,FORD 

This house holds one hundred hens. It is 16x32 feet 
and is divided into two pens, each 16 feet square. The 
house has given satisfactory results on the experimental 
farms' system for several years. It has been used in 
every province in the Dominion and may be built with 
a single roof or with double roof and straw loft. At Ot- 
tawa the straw loft house has been drier but colder than 
the shed roof house. There has been absolutely no mois- 
ture in the litter or adhering to the walls of this house. 
Both houses are built without drop, boards, the roosts be- 
ing fastened to the wall and the nests are contained in a 
cabinet along the outside walls. No trenches are dug for 
the foundations, as the concrete slab which serves as both 
foundation and floor is laid directly upon the ground, the 
top being from 10 to 15 inches above the surrounding 
level. (See page 14 for method of constructing a con- 
crete slab floor. — Ed.) 

The walls consist of two by four studding, resting on 



1 



«i»> 



«jlliiiiiiiivm 




CANADIAN FARMER'S POULTRY HOUSE 
This house is a little above the average in cost, but in Canada, where 
the winters are long and severe, it pays to make the laying tlock^comforta- 
bie — in fact, is essential to good egg production at that season. 
Dominion Experiment Farms, Ottawa, Canada. 



Photo from 




FIG. 98— CROSS SECTION OF CONCRETE COMPART- 
MENT HOUSE 
Courtesy of Alpha Portland Cement Co. 



_ inch x4 inch — 340 lin. ft 227 

(plus 10 % ) B64 



a two by four sill, and supporting a plate of two 2x4's. 
These studs are covered outside with only one ply of 
tarred paper and one inch tongue-and-groove boarding, 
or one-inch boards and battens. On inside, behind and 
around the ends of the roosts, the studding is covered 
first with tarred paper, then with one inch tongue-and- 
groove boarding. Inside partitions are covered with wire 
mesh to within 2^/2 feet of floor, rest of partition one 
inch boarding. The rafters are two by fours covered with 
one inch sheeting and ready roofing, or, if preferred, 
tarred paper and good cedar shingles, laid 4J4 inches to 
the weather. Windows are built between studs as shown, 
and fitted with frames for glass, or cotton where indicated. 
All sashes to be hinged to swing in. Outside of all win- 
dow openings is covered with one inch wire mesh. 

IjIST of m,\terial, required for p.\rsi poultry 
house with gabiie roof and straw loft 

Studs, 2 inch x 4 inch— 262^4 lin. feet 175.5 

Plate. 2 pes. 32 feet x 2 inch x 4 inch — 64 lin. ft 43 

Sill, 2 pes. 32 feet x 2-inch x 4-inch — 64 lin. ft. ■" 

Sill, 2 pes. 16 feet x 2-inch x 4-inch — 32 lin. ft. 

Rafters, 24 pes. 10 feet 

Floor (T & G) 512 sq. : 

Roof boards, 680 sq. ft. 

Shingles. 680 sq. ft. 

One roll building paper. , , , ,„^^ oon 

Wall boarding (T & G) 800 sq. ft. (plus 10%)-.-..: ---,^80 

Ceiling joists. 17 pes. 16 ft. x 2 in. x 4 in. — 272 lin. ft.. -.187 

Ceiling boards, 68 pes. 32 ft. x 1 in. x 3 in.— 2176 lin. ft..384 

2 windows 5 ft. x 5ft. and frames, cotton, and wire mesh. 

2 windows %y- ft. x 5ft. and frames, cotton, and wire mesh. 

4 windows 3 "ft. x 5 ft and frames, glass and wire mesh. 

2 windows 3ft. x 3% ft. and frames, glass only. 

2 doors 2 ft. 9 in. x 6 ft. 

2 louvered windows 2 ft. x iV^ ft. 

Paint (3 coats), hardware (hinges, nails, etc.) 

FOR TWO-INCH COIVCRETE FLOOR 

5 bbls. cement. 
1% cu. yds. sand. 
2% yds. gravel. 

A CONCRETE POULTRY HOUSE 

Practical Plans for Concrete Compartment House. Dry 

and Comfortable if Properly Constructed. 

Concrete is coming more and more into use for all 
kinds of farm buildings, and many concrete poultry houses 
have been built, giving good satisfaction as a rule. Con- 
crete walls are inclined to be damp, especially in wet 
weather, and some objection has been made to the use of 
this material on that account. However, dampness is 
largely a matter of ventilation, and cement manufacturers 
insist that if this is properly attended to there will be no 
difficulty. 

A concrete house with an alleyway, that can be built 
in any length and that is designed to serve either as a 
breeding house or laying house, is shown in Figs. 98 and 



56 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



100. This plan is furnished by the Alpha Portland Cement 
Co. and will readily be understood in its general details 
without a lengthy description. The floor should be laid 
of one part of cement to two parts of sand and three of 
stone or gravel. The wall mixture is given as 1 :2j4 :4. 
The proportions suggested for the floor seem to indicate 
that considerable stress is expected to be borne, which, of 
course, is seldom the case. It is probable, therefore, that 
a mixture of 1:2J4:4 will answer just as well for the floor. 
The plan here given calls for a four-inch wall, but a six- 
inch wall is recommended in general practice. This house 
as here illustrated provides four pens, each 11 feet x 12 
feet 3 inches. The outside dimensions are 16x45 feet. In 
a general way the interior is similar to that shown in 
the six-pen breeding house, shown in Figs. 107 and 109- 
113. The passageway partition, however, is somewhat 
different, as it is intended that all feed hoppers, troughs, 
water vessels, etc., shall be placed in the passageway, the 
fowls having access to them through slats placed in the 
partition under the nests. In the plan the passageway 
is three feet wide, but we would suggest that this be 
changed to four feet. A three-foot passageway obstructed 
by feed hoppers, water vessels, etc., will be found ex- 
tremely inconvenient. Four feet is none too wide for the 
purpose, the extra width being secured by making the 
house a foot wider or by taking it off of the pens. 

It will be noted that above the nests the partition is 
to be of solid cement plaster on metal lath. This is an ex- 
cellent feature and it will be a further improvement if the 
partitions betwen \he pens are all of similar construction 
for the first six feet back from the door, thus giving the 
fowls a three-sided roosting closet which will protect 



them from any air currents while on the perches. As 
will be seen in the cross-section, this house is provided 
with collar beams, on a level with the front plate and it 
will be an easy matter to provide a straw loft, covering 
the beams with narrow boards and filling in the space 
between them and the ridge with straw. If the floor of 
this house is properly constructed, it should be dry and 
warm, but the straw loft will greatly assist in keeping 
the house comfortable in severe weather. The perch sup- 
ports, of course, are to be hinged at the back to swing 
up out of the way when the platform is being cleaned. 

Straw Poultry Houses 

On farms where small grains are extensively grown 
and where the straw has little cash value, one of the least 
expensive poultry houses that can be built is a straw 
house. When properly built such a house will be found 
comfortable and healthful for the fowls and can be made 
convenient for the caretaker as well. 

Straw houses are seldom damp, and they are always 
warm in winter and cool in summer. The supporting 
frame should be substantial, as it has to carry a heavy 
weight, and the straw roof must be carefully built in order 
to insure its being rain-proof. In building straw sheds or 
houses it is especially important to pack the straw by 
persistent tramping as the walls are built up, otherwise 
the straw will settle and separate along the line where 
walls and top meet. If the inside of the house is lined 
with poultry netting, this will prevent the fowls from 
picking and scratching the straw from the walls, which 
they are certain to do if no protection is provided. Avoid 
trouble with mites by keeping perches away from walls. 




Jhowingf Exterior, Jouth I^l?-\/at ion Jhowing Interior- 





i"i II II ni I I Ilk"? 

'■'■ ;; 1 '■ >' 





FIG. 100 — PL.ANS FOR COMPARTMENT HOUSE BUILT OF CONCRETE 



CHAPTER V 



Comfortable Houses for Breeding Pens 

Why Houses for Breeding Pens Should Be Especially Designed— Plans for Low-Cost Buildings Accommodating^One 
and Two Small Flocks— Comfortable Houses that Can Be Built to Provide for Any Desired Number of Pens- 
Breeding Houses for Cold and Moderate Climates— Plans Designed to Save Time and Labor of 
Attendant and to Provide Most Favorable Conditions for Fowls. 



y^^ iIE chief requirements of breeding houses, as com- 
l) pared with laying houses, are that the former 
should be more warmly constructed, and they 
usually are smaller in size, as it seldom is desir- 
able to keep breeding fowls in large flocks. Breeding 
pens generally are allowed more floor space than would 
be given to the same number of fowls in regular laying 
flocks. For this reason there is comparatively little 
bodily heat available for warming their house or pen, 
and this must be offset by warmer construction. Where 
several pens are to be kept in a compartment house, a 
passageway along the rear usually is provided, in order 
to economize time and avoid disturbing the fowls un- 
duly in regular daily care. 



ONE-PEN BREEDING HOUSE 
Convenient House for Small Breeding Pen. 
With Elevated Dust Box, 



Equipped 



By K. W. C.\RMEN 

For a breeding house for one small pen, 
the one illustrated in Fig. 101 is practical and con- 
venient. Note especially the arrangement for a sunny 
dust box, which will be greatly enjoyed by the fowls 
in winter when it is impossible for them to get outdoors. 
With breeding stock it is espec.ally necessary to take all 
practical steps to insure the comfort of the fowls, if fer- 
tile, strongly vitalized eggs are to be produced in the win- 
ter months. 

The house is 14 feet long 10 feet wide, seven feet 
high in front and six feet in the rear, with shed roof. It 
may be built singly, or two or more in a row. The frame 
is made of 2.n;4 hemlock, and the siding, drop, boards, etc , 
are of N. C. pine, eight inches wide. The back, sides and 
roof are covered with tarred paper, and the roof has an 
extra covering of roofing paper. Give 
the floor a good layer of sand and then 
put about six inches of hay or straw 
on that. In the front of the building, 
on the west side, 18 inches above the 
floor, is a dust box three feet wide, six 
feet long and eight inches deep. Eigh- 
teen inches of this box projects beyond 
the front of the building, and when the 
sash is in position the whole thing 
forms a sort of bay window. You will be 
surprised to see how the chickens enjoy 
a dust bath in this window. Under the 
part that comes in the building build 
six nest boxes about 12x14 inches. Over 
the dust box (with the top hinged to 
the building and the bottom resting on 
the outer edge of the box) is a hot bed 
sash Jn6 feet. This sash can be raised 
in warm weather, and with a cover over 
it for a sunshade, it is a fine, cool place 
for biddy. The door to the pen is in the 
front near the east side and is divided 



mto two equal parts, top and bottom, each part being 
3x3 feet. A curtain three feet square is used for the 
upper half and is hinged on the outside. 

This curtain is very useful on stormy days when the 
vvind blows hard. The roost platform is two feet from 
the ground and is four feet wide and seven feet long. To 
make the platform, we batten six pieces of eight-inch 
boards together and board up where the end of the roost 
comes, allowing the boards on the end to go two inches 
below the roost platform so the platform has a cleat to 
slide on, and in that way it is an easy matter to remove 
and clean. Make the roost poles of 2x3 material and 
round the upper edges. Secure them at the ends by patent 
brackets, or notch out a block and nail on each side of 
them to fit in. They are placed six inches above the plat- 
form, the rear one being 14 inches away from the back of 
the building, and the front one 18 inches from the back 
one. 

This house will take about 600 square feet of boards, 
IS wall strips 14 feet long, six rolls of tar paper and three 
rolls of roofing paper, besides one hot bed sash 3x6 and 
four pairs of hinges, nails, etc. 



SMALL TWO-PEN BREEDING HOUSE 

The House Used in Connecticut Egg Laying Contest. 

Accommodates Two Breeding Flocks of 12 to 

16 Fowls Each. 

By ROY E. JONES lind LESLIE E. C.VRD • 

Frequently the back-yard poultryman who is sys- 
tematically breeding, either for exhibition quality or to 
establish a high egg-laying strain, needs a convenient 
house for two or more small pens. For this purpose the 
house used in the International Egg-Laying Contest at 




PIG. 101— PLANS FOR BUILDING ONE-PEN BREEDING HOUSE 



58 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




FIG. 102 — CROSS SECTION OF TWO-PEN BREEDING 
Reproduced from Bulletin SI, Storrs (Conn.) Experiment 

the Connecticut (Storrs) Experiment Station is especially 
desirable. 

This house is 12x12 feet, 6 feet high at the eaves and 
8 feet 4 inches at the peak. It is divided through the mid- 
dle in order to accommodate two pens. With the partition 
removed- it would afford sufficient capacity for 30 to 35 
hens. For ordinary use, where it is not desired to trap- 
nest, the back may be cut down at least a foot and the 
roof made two-thirds instead of even span, thus reducing 
the air space and making the house warmer. The house, 
as shown, gives more head room for the attendant, and 
this is important when birds are being trapnested and 
many trips have .to be made to the back part of each pen. 

Fig. 104 shows a general view of this house, indicating 
size and location of doors and cloth curtains. The muslin 
curtains are hinged at the top and swing in, being fastened 
up by means of hooks made from thin strap iron. Fig. 102 
is a cross section of the house. The windows slide toward 
the front. The roosts and droppings boards are movable, 
as are also the trapnests which are hung beneath the drop- 
pings boards. The exit door for the hens slides up and 
down and is held open by means of a piece of wire looped 
over a nail in the door. The 2x3-inch girder across the 
end of the house is placed in such a way as to support 




the droppings boards at one end and the win- 
dow at the other. The feeding rack, which 
supplies both pens, is made of slats so that 
all filth may fall through to the floor. A 
large enough opening is left above to admit a 
drinking pan which supplies both pens. The 
feedmg rack also supports a mash hopper in 
each pen. Small removable boxes for grit, 
shell and charcoal are fastened to the parti- 
tion above the feeding rack and within easy 
reach. The rear half of the partition between 
the pens is boarded up solid, while the front 
half is boarded for only two feet from the 
floor, or to the level of the curtain sill in 
front, the upper part being made of two-inch 
mesh wire netting. The house is being used 
with a dirt floor, but is so constructed that a 
board floor may be put in if it is found 
desirable. 

Following is a bill of materials for this 
house: 

BILL, OP MATERIALS 

Slvids — 2 pieces, 4x6 in., 14 ft. 

Studding — 12 pieces, 2x3 in., 12 ft. 

Rafters — 5 pieces, 2x3 in., 14 ft. 

Matched boards — 700 feet, board measure. 

Roofing paper — 4 rools. 

Windows — 2 sash, each containing: 6-10x12 in. lights. 

Unbleached muslin — 3 yards, 36 in. wide. 

Wire — 25 feet 2 in. mesh, 36 in. wide. 

Nails — 10 lbs. 8d. 5 lbs. lOd, 4 lbs. 20d. 

Hinges — 4 loose-pin butts for curtains, 4 T-hinges for doors. 

Locks or latches for doors. 



w 

HOUSE 
Station. 



From Bulletin 81, Storrs (Conn.) Exp. Staticm. 




FIG. 103 — FLOOR PLAN OF TWO-PEN BREEDING 

HOUSE 

Reproduced from 3ul. 81, Storrs (Conn.) Exp. Station. 



FIG. 104— PRACTICAL HOUSE FOR TWO SMALL 

BREEDING PENS 

Photo from Storrs (Conn.) Exp. Station. 

THE MINNESOTA MODEL HOUSE 

Especially Recommended for Breeding Flocks. Also is 

An Excellent House for Regular Laying Flocks 

Where Winters Are Severe. 

By PROF. .\. C. SMITH 

This house is designed to meet the requirements of 
the average Minnesota poultry keeper, particularly the 
farmer, and it is believed that it does this to an unusual 
extent. The four principal faults to be found with or- 
dinary poultry houses, particularly as they apply to Min- 
nesota conditions, are: 

1. They are not well constructed, and consequently 
are too cold in winter. Much better egg production might 
be had during the winter months if the houses were more 
comfortable. 

2. They have a poor system of ventilation, if any. 



COMFORTABLE HOUSES FOR BREEDING PENS 



59 



This results in the house being too damp or too cold. 
In many houses no provision whatever is made for ven- 
tilation, other than leaving the door open for a certain 
length of time on a. mild day, which in this climate very 
often cools the house too much. Even when provision 
for ventilation is made, it is often by a system that does 
not give opportunity for sufficient regulation to meet 
changes in the weather, as by hinged windows or muslin 
frames, which must, from the nature of their construction, 
be either closed, and supply insufficient ventilation, or 
wide open, when frequently altogether too much cold air 
enters and altogether too much heat escapes. For the 
above reasons, particularly when south winds pievail dur- 
ing cold weather, these hinged windows or curtains must 
be closed. Through glass windows no moisture escapes, 
and through muslin too little escapes, because it is too 
closely woven. Houses with insufficient ventilation are 
always damp, and the air they confine is impure. The 
odor in such a house is always offensive, even if the 
impure air is not a menace to health, which might be 
questioned. Dampness' is, beyond doubt, the greatest 
menace to good health and good production in the poul- 
try house. 

3. Poor floors. Earthen floors, the top of which is 
below the outside level, make the houses very damp and 
uncomfortable. Wooden floors are hard and are often 
very cold, unless covered with a deep litter of straw or 
leaves — and even these should be on top of a three or 
four-inch layer of fine sand. In the absence of sand or 
loam, shavings probably make the best substitute. 

4. There is no provision for separating the flock. 
There are many seasons during the year when it is most 
advantageous to separate the flock. In the fall there often 
are many surplus cockerels, not ready for market, which 
cannot be kept with the females except to the detriment 
of both; for under such conditions the cockerels gain 
very little weight, and the females being constantly an- 
noyed, develop slowly and lay poorly. To get a good 
return for food and care, the cockerels must be separated 
from the females. If the hatches were early, the cock- 
erels should be sold before it becomes necessary to house 
them, because the price will be considerably higher than 
later in the season, when the market is glutted with stock. 

A two-pen house is advantageous in that the pullets 
and hens of the flock may be separated. Pullets are sure 
to be intimidated by the older birds, and do much better 
when kept in separate flocks. In the spiing, again, a 
two-pen house is a distinct advantage, since the most 
rugged and healthy specimens may be separated and used 
exclusively as breeders. These may be allowed more 
room per bird, fed differently, and provided with greater 
range, while the balance of the flock is forced for eggs. 
When these existing conditions are considered, it is be- 
lieved that the following features of this plan will meet 
the approval of poultry keepers in general: 

The fundamental idea in ventilating a poultry house 
is to expel the impure air as well as the excess of 




moisture, and to retain at the same time sufficient heat 
to make the house comfortable; which last, in the coldest 
weather, means all the heat that can be retained while 
expelling excessive moisture and impure air. A simple 
ventilating device adopted for this house places the con- 
trol of the ventilation absolutely in the caretaker's hands. 
It is, however, recognized that all ventilation in a poultry 
house must come from one direction — that is, drafts can- 
not be tolerated. 

By hanging the windows with weights and pulleys as 
they are ordinarily hung in dwellings, a greater or lesser 
volume of air — depending upon the will of the caretaker — 
may be allowed to enter. This will be found equally ad- 
vantageous in winter and summer, and makes it unneces- 
sary to remove the sash, even in very hot weather, since 
by raising the lower sash three or four inches and drop- 
ping the upper to the level of the lower, good circulation 
is established. The object in raising the lower sash no 
more than three or four inches and lowering the upper to 
the same level, is two-fold, but the main reason for so 
doing is that the large opening, which is in this way pro- 
vided at the upper section, permits a large volume of hot 
air to escape. .A secondary reason is that, with the lower 
sash no higher, the fowls cannot roost upon or soil the 
windowsill, whereby just so much cleaning is eliminated. 

During the winter it is convenient to drop the upper 
sash a little through the day to let the dust and moisture 
out. In the Minnesota Model Poultry House the ventila- 
tion secured in this way might be called emergency ven- 
tilation, or, perhaps, ventilation according to season, the 
constant ventilation or the ventilation depended upon dur- 
ing winter, coming chiefly through openings above the 
windows. These openings may be covered or not, and in 
two ways: on one side of the inside frame is hinged a 
burlap-covered frame, while on the other a solid wooden 
door is hinged. Obviously the caretaker has three options: 
He may leave the opening entirely uncovered^as he cer- 
tainly should during warm weather and upon an occa- 




PJ20NT eLEVATJON -- 

CROSS SECTION 

-FRONT ELEVATION AND CROSS SECTION OF MINNESOTA MODEL POUI..TRY HOUSE 
Reproduced from Minnesota Farm Inst. Annual No. 27. 



60 



POISILTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




FIG. 107 — DETAIL. OP PEN FRONT IN SIX-PEN BREEDING HOUSE 



sionally mild day in midwinter, particularly if the building 
has for any cause become damp, as will be the case if 
frost accumulates on the walls and vaporizes so rapidly 
that the air will not hold the moisture and the litter be- 
comes damp from the drip — a situation which may be • 
avoided by opening both the wooden door and the burlap 
frame. Secondly, the caretaker may close the opening 
with the burlap frame. This is the method of securing 
ventilation during cold weather. The coarse meshes of 
the burlap do not clog with dust as the finer meshes of 
cotton do, and they allow the moisture to escape, while 
retaining considerable heat and preventing a draft. In 
ordinary winter weather, during the day, ventilation 
should be obtained through this burlap, while on very cold 
nights the wooden door should close the opening. Clearly, 
it is not necessary to treat all three openings alike at the 
same time, since one only, or two, may be opened. 

A cement foundation wall is best and most desirable 
for three reasons: First, it is most durable; second, it 
gives better support to the frame than posts or pillars; 
third, almost every poultry-keeper in these days is famil- 
iar with simple cement construction. The wall should be 
one foot thick at base and eight inches at the top, and 
should be fifteen inches above the ground-level. This 
construction allows the door to swing over the litter, 
which is a convenience. 

When there is a supply of gravel or sand on the farm, 
or this material can be obtained without too great ex- 
pense, a floor of gravel and sand or gravel and loam is 



advised, on account of its naturainess. 
and comfort. Fill in at bottom with 
three inches of coarse gravel or small 
stones; then four inches of finer 
gravel, covering with a little clay, 
and roll or tramp hard. This will 
make a good cleaning-line. Next 
cover with four inches of fine saad 
or dry loam, or a mixture of both. 
This last layer should be cleaned out 
every summer and replaced by a 
fresh, clean supply. The layer of 
sand has a fertilizing value after it 
has been in the house for a year. If 
it is sifted when put in, it makes a 
suitable top-dressing for lawns or 
hay-fields. 

Nail matched boards, running up 
and down, to outside of frame. Paint 
at once with two coats to avoid 
shrinkage. If a warmer house is desired, cover the walls 
with double-ply tarred paper, in one or two layers, as de- 
sired. If a still warmer, better-looking, or more expen- 
sive house is desired cover this with shingles or siding. 

When the wall consists of but one thickness of 
boards, this house may be built at as little cost as it is 
possible to construct a comfortable and durable poultry 
house. On the other hand, when the wall consists of two 
thicknesses of boards with one or more thicknesses of 
building paper — or, better still, two thicknesses of double- 
ply tarred paper between the boards, the house becomes 
not only very warm and comfortable, but an attractive 
farm building; and if kept in repair and painted, will so 
remain indefinitely. Furthermore, this evolution from a 
single wall to one with double thickness of boards, be- 
tween which is a double layer of paper, may take place 
at the time of building, or it may progress as gradually as 
the owner decides. 

For the roof, matched boards and good, heavy roofing 
paper will be found entirely satisfactory. Because a great 
deal of heat may escape otherwise, the roof should be 
tightly built; hence matched boards are necessary with 
either shingles or roofing paper. It is folly carefully to 
build a warm and tight wall to hold the heat, and then 
cover the building with a loosely constructed roof which 
will certainly allow the heat to escape, making the house 
colder by several degrees. Other specifications, dimen- 
sions, etc., will be found on the accompanying plan. (See 
Figs. 105, 106, and 108.) 




tNP E-LEVAT/ON ^ 



— Ir-LOOn PLAM - 
FIG. lOS— FLOOR PLAN AND END ELEVATION OF MINNESOTA MODEL, POULTRY HOUSE 
Reproduced from Minnesota Farm. Inst. Annual No. 27. 



COMFORTABLE HOUSES FOR BREEDING PENS 



61 



LIST OF MATERIALS FOR MI.WESOTA MODEL 
POULTRY HOUSE 



Sills 6 pes. 2x4, 16 ft. 

Studding — 

Rear wall 3 p 

Ends 1 1 



long. 

, 2x4, 12 ft. long. 
, 3.\4, 14 ft. long. 
1 PC. 2n4, 14 ft. long. 
1 PC. 2x4. 12 ft. long. 

Front 5 pes. 2x4, 16 ft. long. 

3 pes. 2x4. 12 ft. long. 

Plates 4 pes. 2x4, IG ft. long. 

Nailing pieces between 
sill and plate — 

Rear wall 3 pes. 2x4, 12 ft 

West wall 1 pe, 2x4, 16 ft 

East wall 1 pc. 2x4, 12 ft 

Front wall 1 pc. 2x4, 20 ft. 

Rafters 16 pes. 2x6, 18 ft 

Roosts 5 pes. 2x6, 10 ft 

Platform support — 

Cross pieces.. ..1 pc. 2x4, 16 ft, 

Verti'l posts....l pc. 2x4, 12 ft 

Verti'l posts. ...1 pc. 2x4, 16 ft 

Nest supports.. .-1 pc. 2x4. 12 ft. 

Water stand 2 pes. 2x4, 16 ft, 

Matched Boards 

Rear 35 

Ends .^ 38 

Front -..-- - - 23 

Roof 83 

Partition 20 

Roosting platform 18 

Nest platform 3 

Top of nests 5 



Cut to 5% ft. 
Cut one 8 ft., one 
Cut one 8 ft., one 
Cut one 8 ft., one 
Cut 7 ft. 8 in. 
Cut '3 ft. 6 in. 
Front and rear. 



long, 
long, 
long, 
long, 
long, 
long. Ripped to 2x3. 



long, 
long, 
long, 
long, 
long. 



pes. 
pes. 
pes. 
pes. 
pes. 
pes. 



4 pes. 1x4 pine No. 

4 pes. 1x8 pine No. 

2 pes. 1x2 pine No. 

roof paper. 

1 pe. 1x4 pine No. 

1 pe. 1x5 pine No. 

1 pe. 1x4 pine No. 

1 PC. 1x5 pine No, 



pes 
Pinisli Lumber 

com. S2S, 16 ft. 
com. S2S, 16 ft. 
com. S2S. 16 ft. 



4 ft. 



P & M bds.. 

D & M bds., 

D & M bds.. 

D & M bds., 

D & M bds., 

D & M bds., 

D & M bds., 

D & M bds.. 



Roof. 

Cornice. 

To hold ends 



12 ft. 

14 ft. 

16 ft. 

16 ft. 

14 ft. 

16 ft. 

16 ft. 

12 ft. 



1 pc. 

1 PC. 

1 pc. 

1 pc. 

2 pes. 
2 pes 



1 com. S2S. 12 ft, 

1 com. S2S, 14 ft, 

1 com. S2S, 16 ft 

1 com. S2S, 16 ft, 

1x4 pine No. 1 com. S2S, 18 ft, 

1x6 pine No. 1 com. S2S, 16 ft, 

1x4 pine No. 1 com. S2S. 16 ft, 

1x4 pine No. 1 com. S2S. 16 ft 

1x4 pine, S2S. Cleats fo 
1x4 pine, 18 ft. For finish 



Rear corner. 
Rear corner. 
Front corner. 
Front corner. 
Door finish. 
Door cleats. 
Part, door cleat. 
Finish on Part. door, 
osting and nest Plat, 
upper open windows. 



3 pes. 1x4, 10 ft. For inside box on upper window. 
3 pes. ^x4, 10 ft. For inside box on upper window. 
1 pc. 1x15, 10 ft. Equipment for small upper doors. 
1 pe. 1x12. 4 ft. For lower sliding doors. 




FIG. Ill— CROSS SECTION OF SIX-PEN BREEDING HOUSE 



Wooden door may be made from a 15-ineh board, in 

which case it would be advisable to put cleats on back to 

prevent warping. Matched stock bound by cleats may be 
used. 

Fitlinss — 3 windows 10x12, 12 light, 1% inch sash 

glazed; 3 window frames 10x12, 12 light, % inch casings, 

2x6 sills; 1 door frame, 2 ft. by 8 in. by 6 ft. 8 in., l^i in. 
oak sill. 

Roofing? — 6 squares of roofing (rubberoid or equal) for 
roof. 7 squares of double-ply tarred paper or other of 
equal quality and thickness if wall is to be covered. 

HardAvnre — 6 lb. 20d wire spikes; 20 lbs. 8d common wire 
nails: 2 lbs. Sd finishing nails; lO^/gxlO in. bolts, with two 
washers each to fasten sills to foundation; 2 pairs 6-ineh 
heavy T hinges (galvanized); 3 pairs 6-inch hooks and eyes; 
1 6-inch hinge, hasp and staple: 1 padlock; 2 pairs 3-ineh 
heavy hinges: 2 4-inch hooks and eyes. 



Material for Foundation 

Portland cement; 4 yards sand. 



Roof 5hiEiOl-h^d W'H> I" 5hsof-h!r,g and SheoM'^j' 

XX f^usl'rt Coversci Frames S'-S" X 3'-S" X SasbeS /?" Tbic^ lO" % fZ" Sk 

Hinged oi- Top in Roohei-isd Fi-^TreS 





62 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 





¥ 



PIG. 112 — DETAIL OF FEED TROUGH AND WATER VESSEL IN 
BREEDING HOUSE 

The feed trough, hinged at bottom, is shown open for filling from the 
passageway, in Fig. 1. A cross section of open trough is shown in Fig. 2. 
When feed is placed in trough and closed it is in position shown in Pig. 3, 
and fowls in pen have full access to contents. Door giving access to water 
vessel is also shown in Fig. 1, while Fig. 5 shows door closed. Fig. 4 shows 
cross section of trough when open for filling. 



CONVENIENT EIGHT-PEN BREEDING HOUSE 
Just Right for a Number of Single Pens. Passageway 
Simplifies Care of Flocks and Avoids Dis- 
turbing the Fowls. 

Poultrymen, as a rule, do not now favor laying houses 
with a passageway in the rear, and there are a number 
of practical objections to this feature. Under some condi- 
tions, however, and especially when a number of small 
breeding pens are to be provided for, such passageways are 
quite convenient. The plan shown herewith has proved 
especially satisfactory. 

This house may be built any length, but as here out- 
lined is 96 feet 6 inches long and 16 feet wide, with a 
three-foot alleyway. There are eight pens, each with a 
capacity of 25 to 35 hens in laying flocks and about half 
this number if the birds are to be used as breeders. Board 
floor and post foundation are indicated, but a concrete 
foundation and floor will be found to be much cheaper in 
the long run, as well as more sanitary and durable, also 
rat-proof. If a board floor is decided upon it should be 
made double, as shown in Fig. 14, on page 16, especi- 
ally where winters are cold. 

All walls are ceiled with ^-inch beaded 
ceiling, but no ceiling is provided overhead, 
though this is recommended for extreme cli- 
mates. The roof is supported on a 4x4-inch 
girder resting on 2x4-inch studs that form 
part of the alleyway partition. One by six- 
inch tie pieces are run from the rear wall to 
the alleyway stud*, as in Fig. Ill, and no 
other tying or bracing is required. 

In order to protect the combs of valuable 
breeders, a roosting closet is provided in each 
pen. Canvas partitions extend from the drop- 
pings boards to the roof and the alley parti- 
tion back of the perches also is canvas, the 
lower part being made in the form of a shut- 
ter so that the platform may be cleaned from 
the alley. In front of the perches a muslin- 
covered shutter is provided (see Fig. Ill) 
which can be lowered after the fowls have 



gone to roost. When enclosed in this 
roosting closet there is practically no 
danger of combs and wattles being 
injured by freezing, no matter how 
cold it may get. As ventilation is 
generally inadequate under such con- 
ditions, however, the front curtain 
should only be let down in the sever- 
est weather. 

In order to prevent drafts through 
the house, alternate cross-partitions 
are ceiled from floor to roof. The 
other cross-partitions are boarded up 
tight to a height of three feet from 
the floor and covered with two-inch 
mesh netting from that point to the 
roof. 

For the breeding pert, trap-nests 
should be used. Full details of differ- 
ent styles of such nests are given in 
Chapter X. 

Fig. 110 shows the floor plan of 
this house, with arrangements of par- 
titions, droppings platforms, perches, 
etc., clearly indicated. 

Fig. 109 gives front elevation, 

showing windows, muslin shutters, yards, doors, etc. 

Fig. Ill is a cross section of the house, showing par- 



MuSlln lijindon^ 



-'_-°i: 



fp^TS* 



Openings- 

-FRAMING FRONT OP BREEDING HOUSE 



tition, nests, and a cross -section of the roosting closet. 
Note that the outside doors of the house are double 
boarded,, inside boards being placed diagonally and outside 
boards perpendicularly. Fig. 107 gives a section of the 
pen front or inside elevation of pen, showing partition 
doors, wire partition, canvas doors in front of perches 
and solid canvas partition from perches to roof. 







FIG. 114 — PARTITION IN BREEDING HOUSE FOR MILD CLIMATES 
Reproduced from Farmers' Bulletin 574, U. S. Department 
of Agriculture. 



COMFORTABLE HOUSES FOR BREEDING PENS 



63 



BILl, OP MATERIALS FOR BREEDING HOUSE 



Us 



luchc 



Sills, sides 4x6 

Sills, sides 2x4 

Sills, end 4x6 

Joists 2x6 

Girder 4x6 

Plates 2x4 

Studs, front 2x4 

Studs, back 2x4 

Studs, ends 2x4 

Studs, partitions 2x4 

Short studs and misc.... 2x4 

Ridge plate 4x4 

Ridge 1x6 

Rafters 2x6 

Rafters 2x4 

Rafter ties 1x6 

Support for drop. plat.. 2x4 

Perches 2x4 

Roof boards 1x10 

T & G siding 1x6 

snibfloor 1x10 

Matched flrg., top fl....y8x4 
Matched flrg. for drop. 

plat., doors, etc %x4 

Beaded ceiling for walls 

ceilings & partitions 3-16x4 

Barge boards %x6 

Sills for windows, etc.. 1^x8 
Frame for windows and 

doors %x6 

Weather strips %x% 

Trim lumber %x4 

Frames for muslin 
shutter, perch shut- 
ters, perch supports 

and misc %x3 

Nest doors 1x8 

Partition door frame. ... 1x4 
Partition door frame... 1x3 
Furring for bridging.... 1x2 



28 
25 
7 
35 
20 
10 
10 
50 
25 
9 
8 




1 piece cuts 2 
1 piece cuts 2 
1 piece cuts 2 
1 piece cuts 1 




1 piece cuts 2 
1 piece cuts 2 


8 
2000 
1650 
1700 
2000 


bd. 
bd. 
bd. 
bd. 


meas. 

meas. 
meas. 


Surfaced 


300 


bd. 


meas. 




4300 
250 
150 


bd. 
lin. 
lin. 


feet.' 
feet. 


Surfaced 

Surfaced 


350 
170 
500 


lin. 
lin. 
lin. 


feet, 
feet, 
feet. 


Surfaced 
Surfaced 
Surfaced 


600 

60 

25 

150 

500 


lin. 
lin. 
lin. 
lin. 
lin. 


feet, 
feet, 
feet 
feet, 
feet. 


Surfaced 
Surfaced 
Surfaced 
Surfaced 



Gal 



vanized doors, wire staples and wood triggers for forty 
nests. 

squares of prepared roofing. 

squares of waterproof sheathing paper for the floor, 
check rail windows, 12-light, 10xl2-inch glass, 
sq. ft. of 2-inch mesh poultry netting for partitions, eltc. 
sq. ft. of 1-inch mesh netting for windows and open front, 
sq. ft. of muslin for shutters and perch curtains, 
sq. ft. of canvas for alley and end partitions. 
pr. 8-inch T-trap hinges, outside doors. 
6-inch hasps, 

pr. 3-inch hinges for partition doors. 

doz. pr. 2V4-inch butt hinges for muslin shutters, canvas 
doors and nest doors. 
2-inch screw hooks and eyes. 
pr. 4-inch strap hinges for perch supports, 
pr. 2-inch butt hinges for windows, 
doz. sash bolts, 
feet chain for sash adjusters. 
Nails, tacks, paint, etc. 




FIG. 115— FLOOR PLAN OF ONE COMPARTMENT IN BR 
Reproduced from Farmers' Bulletin 574, U. S. Dept 



MATERIAL FOR FORTY TRAP-NESTS 

Sides and bottoms %x4 230 bd. meas. Surfaced 

Top rails of partition %x2 50 lin. feet. Surfaced 

Top rails of ends '^xl% 50 lin. feet. Surface^ 

Bottom ralLs of ends %x3 50 lin. feet. Surfaced 

Side rails of ends : %x2 50 lin. feet. Surfaced 

Strips %x% 80 lin. feet. Surfaced 

Partition strip %x2% 50 lin. feet. Surfaced 

Galvanized iron doors, wire staples, and triggers. 

M.\TERIALS FOR FOUNDATION AND FI.OOR 

If a concrete foundation and floor are preferred, the fol- 
lowing materials %vill be required, the joists, girders and 
flooring as specified in the lumber bills, being omitted. 

140 sacks of Portland cement. 
285 cu. ft. of sand. 
600 cu. ft. of gravel or stone. 

400 cu. ft. of gravel or broken stone for drainage and in- 
sulation. 



BREEDING HOUSE FOR MILD CLIMATES 
Used On Government Poultry Farm Near Washington^ 
D. C. Suitable for Laying Flocks Where Win- 
ters Are Not Too Severe. 

By HARRY M. LAMON 

(The experimental farm of the Bureau of Animal In- 
dustry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, is located at 
Beltsville, a short distance out of Washington, D. C. 
Here a liberal tract of land has been set aside for experi- 
mental work with poultry, under the capable direction of 
Harry M. Lamon, head of the Poultry Division. The 
house here illustrated and described has been in success- 
ful use on this farm for several years and also has served 
as a model for general use in other parts of the country. 
While the original house is used for breeding pens, the 
plan is well adapted to the requirements of laying flocks, 
simply changing width of pens to accommodate flocks of 
desired size. — Ed.) 

This house, known as the "long breeding house," is 
180 feet long, 18 feet deep, and is divided into pens nine 
feet wide. At one end there is a two-story, building, 20 
feet by 36 feet. The first floor contains an office room 
and bins for feed. The upper floor has sleeping quarters 
for the men and rooms for storage. Un- 
derneath is an incubator cellar of the 
same dimensions. 

The equipment of this poultry house 
is extiemely simple. The droppings 
boards are on the north side, two and 
one-half feet from the floor, and the 
roosts are about fifteen inches from the 
wall and eight inches from the drop- 
pings boards. The roosts are on hinges 
and are very convenient to handle when 
the droppings boards are to be cleaned. 
Then there is a pen next to the roosts, 
four feet ten inches deep and three feet 
wide, for breaking up broody hens. The 
nests are placed under the droppings 
boards, are portable and can easily be 
removed for cleaning and when it is 
necessary to replenish the nesting ma- 
material, which, by the way, is attended 
to often. Great care is taken to clean 
the nest thoroughly, should an egg be- 
come broken in any of them, as soon as 
the broken egg is discovered. The nest 
is a great harboring place for mites if 
it becomes dirty and filthy. 

There is a platform two feet by two 

EBDINC HOUSE ^^^^ '" ^'^^ '^"'^ '^^° ^^^' from the floor, 
Agriculture. for holding the drinking dish. Each 



64 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




PIG. 116— CROSS SECTION OP BREEDING HOUSE POR MILD CLIMATES 
Reprodviced from Farmers' Bui. 574, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



pen contains a V-shaped trough for feeding wet mash 
or other feeds, a hopper on the south wall for the 
dry mash feed, and about four to six inches of dry straw 
is kept on the floor. It is intended to put a concrete floor 
in this house, but up to the present time a dirt floor is 
being used. There are frames covered with muslin on the 
inside of the open front, to be let down in 
stormy weather, and yards 18 feet by 200 feet. 
Division fences are boarded 30 inches high from 
the ground with five-foot poultry-proof wire 
fencing above. It will be noted that this arrange- 
ment of yards allows each pen the use of a yard 
at least every other day, as the pens are 9x18. 
The following bill of materials for this house 
is taken from Farmers' Bulletin No. 574. also 
the plans shown in Figs. 114, IIS, 116 and 118. 

BILI, OP MATERIALS 

Use Size 

Inches 

Sills 2x4 

Plates (double) 2x4 

Ties for rafters 1x5 

Rafters 2xS 

Rafters 2x6 

Studs 2x4 

Studs (front) 2x4 

Roosts 2x3 

Sheathing- surfaced one side, for roof 2860 ft. 

Matched flooring for walls, partitions, 

dropping-s board 3200 ft. 

Boards planed both sides for nests - 300 ft. 

340 running feet of lx3-inch furring tor curtain frames. 

300 sq. ft. of %-inch megh wire netting for front. 

300 sq. ft. 2-inch mesh wire netting for partitions. 

350 sq. ft. of muslin cloth for curtains. 

8 outside doors. 

Prepared roofing paper to cover 2700 sq. ft. 
Hardware (hinges, nails, staples, etc.) 



A BUILDING BLOCK HOUSE 
Block Houses Are Especially Suitable 
for Breeding Pens in Cold Climates. 
Concrete Blocks Can Be Sub- 
stituted for Tile. 

Poultry houses constructed of build- 
ing blocks are particularly desirable, 
though somewhat expensive for ordi- 
nary use. The dead-air space between 
inner and outer walls, which is pro- 
duced by the hollow blocks, makes the 
house warm in winter and cool in sum- 
mer, and if properly ventilated it always 
will be dry. Block houses are easily 
kept clean and sanitary and afford few 
harboring places for mites or lice. 
Nothing but the high cost of building, 
this way prevents the use of tile blocks 
in poultry houses of all kinds. When 
carelessly constructed such houses are not particularly 
pleasing in appearance, but with careful workmanship 
they can be made quite attractive, as is the case in the 
house illustrated in Fig. 117, which is one of the poultry 
buildings at Iowa State College. 

This house is built of tile blocks, but concrete blocks 



No. of 


Length 


Boaid 


Pieces 


Feet 


Measure 


30 


12 


240 ft 


44 


12 


352 ft 


30 


16 


220 ft 


56 


14 


784 ft 


56 


10 


560 ft. 


38 


12 


304 ft. 


28 


8 


150 ft 


36 


8 


144 ft 





FIG. 117— BUILDING BLOCK HOUSE AT IOWA STATE COLLEGE 



FIG. 118— FRONT ELEVATION OP BREEDING HOUSE 

Reproduced from Farmers' Bulletin 574, U. S. Department 

of Agriculture. 

can be used where the former are not available. It is 
14x100 feet with a plain shed roof and is divided into five 
pens 14x20 feet each, providing comfortably for a breed- 
ing flock from about 40 to 50 hens. If single pens are 
preferred instead of flock matings, temporary partitions 
can be used, thus affording accommodations for ten 
breeding flocks of 15 to 20 fowls. 
The house is built with a concrete 
floor, and the general interior ar- 
rangement is similar to that shown 
in other houses in this chapter. 

Ventilation is provided by special- 
ly constructed windows consisting of 
narrow sashes arranged in sets of 
four — three sets for each 20-foot pen. 
These sashes are balanced on dowel 
pins turning in holes in the sides of 
the window casing, and are connected 
by means of a chain so that by rais- 
ing and lowering the chain, each set 
of sashes can be adjusted to uniform 
position at a single operation, thus 
providing any degree of ventilation. 



CHAPTER VI 

Portable Colony and Brooder Houses 

The Convenience and Economy of Suitable Portable Houses for Use Either With Adult Flocks, Growing Stock, or 

Brooder Chicks- How to Secure Substantial, Low-Cost Construction — Plans for Houses Adapted for Use 

Either in Brooding Chicks or for Laying and Breeding Pens — How to Build Houses in Sections 

for Easy Moving — Practical Piano-Box Houses, Etc. 



y^^ HERE are few poultry plants or farms that do not 
V J need at least some portable houses. The uses to 
mm which they can be put are so numerous that they 
SESh seldom stand idle for any length of time. While 
it usually is not practical to keep laying flocks in such 
houses, owing to the small size of the flocks that can be 
accommodated, they often can be profitably used for that 
purpose. They also make ideal quarters for small breed- 
ing flocks and are indispensable for brooding chicks, re- 
gardless of the method of brooding practiced. After the 
chicks no longer need artificial heat, the house may be 
hauled to outlying fields and the growing stock given the 
complete liberty that is so essential to normal growth 
and development. 

The principal features to keep in min.l in building any 
sort of portable house are that there must be sufficient 
head room to make the work of caring for the houses 
convenient: the houses must not be too large to be moved 
by available means; and, as a rule, they should be provided 
with double floors, or carefully braced, so that they will 
not be racked in hauling them about. M.-)ving, especially 
over uneven ground, puts a severe strain on such struc- 
tures and they will quickly be pulled apart unless well 
built. 

The material used for sills or runner-sills should be 
of the most durable timber available; chestnut and cedar 
are good. White oak, if well seasoned, may be used, but 
adds to the weight. Throughout the house, light-weight 
lumber should be used as far as possible. A house built 
of oak or similar hard wood will weigh a great deal more 
than one built of white pine. It is not advisable to try to 
cut down weight by using thin boards or small framing 
timbers. Such material will not hold up long in a house 
that is to be moved frequently. Regular ^-inch boards 
and 2x4 joists and studs are essential to durability. Where 
these houses are to be used for laying flocks it is conven- 
ient to have the nests on the outside of the building, thus 
increasing the floor space. Such nests must be carefully 
built, however, and should be located on the side least 
exposed to storms, as it is difficult to prevent rain and 
snow from blowing in. Small, shallow houses necessarily 
bring the fowls up close to the front when on perches, and 
special provision must be made to protect them from 
drafts if open fronts are to be used. With houses of the 
shed-roof type, such as the colony house shown in Fig. 124, 
it is practicable to make the window half glass and half 
muslin shutter, placing the latter above and opening it 
when necessary to secure proper ventilation, but leaving 
the glass sash in place except in warm weather. 

For moving portable houses a coupl.^ of hooks, simi 
lar to the one illustrated in Fig. 123, attached to a stout 
chain 10 or 12 feet long, are most convenient. Make the 
hook of % or ^-inch iron, with the hook part about fout 
inches long, and pointing forward a little, rather than with 
a square or right-angled turn. If this is done it will not be 
so liable to slip out of the hole in the runner under a 
heavy strain. In England, where portable houses are ex- 
tensively rsed, small wheels are often employed in place 
of runners. 



A GABLE ROOF PORTABLE HOUSE 

Will Accommodate Twenty-Five to Thirty Hens, or May 

Be Used for Lamp-Heated and Colony Hovers. 

The house illustrated in Figs. 119, 120, 121, and 122 
was designed at the Pennsylvania Agricultural College and 
has been in use there for some years. It offers a practical 
solution of the problem of building a house that will meet 
the requirements of both brooding and laying house. It 
is about as large as can be moved by one team, requires a 
minimum of lumber for the floor space enclosed and gives 
plenty of head room without high walls. If the house is 
to be used for a colony hover the front window at the end 
opposite the door can be omitted, but where lamp-heated 




FIG. 119— A GABLE ROOF PORTABLE HOUSE 

hovers are to be used, as illustrated in Fig. 121, the orig- 
inal arrangement is better, as it gives more even distribu- 
tion of light. 

This house is regularly built with flooring boards oi 
car siding for the sides and with a double floor, as shown 
in Fig. 14. Rafters are provided in the bill of material, 
but the original houses were built without rafters, the rod 
boards being run up and down and nailed securely to 
gether at the ridges, which construction is firm enough for 
all practical purposes. 

Fig. 122 shows floor plan as arranged for winter use 
of the laying or breeding flock. The floor is laid on 3x6- 
inch chestnut runners, with four 2x4-inch joists mortised 
into the top of the sills and firmly spiked. Fig. 121 shows 
a cross section with lamp-heated hover installed. Three 
such hovers can be accommodated in one of these houses, 
temporary partitions being placed between them, to be 
removed when the chicks are ready to go on perches. This 
house provides excellent quarters for a colony hover flock, 
the hover being placed back within about two feet of the 
end wall. Fig. 120 is a cross section with perches and plat- 
form installed. Fig. 119 shows the completed house on the 
range. For summer ventilation a small louvered opening 



66 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




FIG. 120 — CROSS SECTION OF GABLE ROOF HOUSE 
WITH PERCHES AND NESTS 

(not shown in plan) should be provided in each gable. If 
built of white pine or similar light-weight lumber, a two- 
horse team will readily haul this house anywhere on rea- 
sonably level ground. The sills are rounded off ^t each 
end, runner-fashion, and suitably bored for attaching 
hooks or chain to hitch to. 

BILL, OF MATERIALS FOR PORTABLE HOUSE 



Us 



Size 
Inche 



Sills > 3x6 

Joists 2x4 

Plate-, 2x4 

Studs 2x4 

Rafters 2x4 

Perchc 2x4 

Support for drop. plat.. 2x4 
Sheathing' boards for 
subfloor, roof, nests 

and partitions %xlO 

Matched flooring for 
floors and drop- 
pings platform %x4 

Furring %x3 

Window sills IHxB 



300 ft. bd. meas. Surfaced. 



415 ft. bd. meas. 
125 lin. ft. Surfaced. 
8 lin. ft. Surfaced. 




MATERIAL FOR NESTS 

Door %x7 5 

Front base %x6 5 

Bottom %xl2 5 

Rear base %x4 5 

Top strips %x2 10 

Upright 2x4 6 

Brackets '58x4 8 



Surfaced 
Surfaced 
Surfaced 
Surfaced 
Surfaced 
Surfaced 
Surfaced 



1% rolls of prepared roofing. 

100 sq. ft. sheathing paper. 

2 6-light window sashes, 10xl2-inch glass. 
10% sq. ft. muslin. 

23 sq. ft. 1-inch mesh poultry netting for windows, etc. 

1 pair 8-inch strap hinges for outside door. 

1 6-inch hasp. 

3 pairs 2-inch hinges for windows and shutters. 
1 pair 4-inch strap hinges for perch supports. 

1 pair 3-inch strap hinges for nests. 

4 hooks and eyes. 

2 chain sash adjusters. 
Nails, tacks, paint, etc. 




N6".»?un77e^-s ^'vs./^ 



FIG. 121— CROSS SECTION OF GABLE ROOF HOUSE 
WITH BROODING HOVER 



FIG. 122 — FT,OOR PLAN OF GABLE ROOF HOUSE 

SLED RUNNER COLONY HOUSE 

Being Eleven Feet Deep and Only Seven Feet Wide, the 

Rear is Comfortable and Always Free 

From Drafts. 

By J. W. PARKS 

We have been for a number of years working on a 
colony house that would not only answer the purpose of 
raising the chicks, but one that we could fix up at very 
small cost for winter use. Furthermore, we wanted a 
house that we could change from a summer to a winter 
house with a very small expenditure of time, because 
when one has a great many houses to care for, things 
must be pretty convenient, as time is one of the most im- 
portant considerations. These features our colony houses 
have. 

These houses are 7 feet wide and 11 feet deep, 7 feet 
high in front and Sj4 at back. We like these narrow, 
deep houses much better than houses more nearly square, 
as they hold the heat better in winter, and fowls, when 
on the perches, are further away from 
the open front. 

In constructing this house three sled- 
runners are provided for the back, mid- 
dle and front. As our houses are to be 
used on land sloping to the east, we 
make the front runner 8 inches high, 
the middle one 6 inches, and the back 
one 4 inches, which helps to take care 
of the slope without -having to block up 
the house, and avoids having the litter 
all work toward the front. Next we cut 
2x4's, as long as we intend the house to 
be deep, placing one at each side and 
one in the middle, notching the runner, so that the 2x4's 
rest level with the top of the runners. In this way we 
get a level surface on which to lay the first floor, which 
must be of tongue-and-groove lumber. Over this sub- 




^yyiror, 



PIG. 123. 

HOOK FOR 

MOVING 

HOUSES 



PORTABLE COLONY AND BROODER HOUSES 



67 



floor lay some old papers and then a second floor of 
boards. We find these double floors very helpful in 
keeping the house warm in cold weather. 

Next, the frame is set up and the corner boards 
nailed on, and then we finish boarding up, using matched 
lumber so as to have tight joints. There must be no 
drafts in these coops. These houses can be built at com- 




FIG. 124— SLED RUNNER COLONY HOUSE 
Photo from J. W. Parks. 

paratively moderate cost and may be used either for 
adult fowls, for indoor brooders or hovers, or can be ar- 
ranged for cold brooders when the chicks are no longer 
in need of artificial heat. We have two muslin sashes to 
fit into the windows or openings, which we use in winter. 
The bottom sash is put in permanently and the top one 
slides up and dow«. For ordinary winter weather we 
leave the top sash down, but when it is extremely cold we 
generally have the top sash half-way up, leaving a por- 
tion still open. However, the matter of ventilation de- 
pends upon the number of fowls in tJie house. 

We have a sort of a bale hook that we hook under 
the house back of the 2x4 on the side, and then attach 
the other .end to a singletree, and the team readily moves 
it to any desirable location. In the summertime we move 
these houses not less than twice a month, even if it is 
only the length of the house, as that gives the chicks 
new pasture and prevents killing the grass under the 
house. 

It may be of interest to describe the cold hovers that 
we use in these houses. Each house is equipped with two 
roost poles, 2x3 inches, with rounded edges, for adult 
fowls. When the house is to be used for chicks we rest 
these poles on temporary strips on each side of the wall, 
placing them so that the poles will be about 6 inches 
from the floor. The back pole is 8 inches from the rear 
wall and the other about 1 foot in front of it. Over these 
we tack empty burlap sacks, laying them across the poles 
and letting them hang down, front and back, with the 
ends about 2 inches above the floor. We place about an 
inch of chafif on the floor and in cold weather often throw 
a lot of chafi on top of the sacks to keep in the warmth. 
If the chicks get to crowding under this hover they soon 
are exposed to the cold either in front or back, and so 



they quickly learn to spread out lengthwise. The first few 
nights we place them under this hover until they learn 
to perch on these, then we gradually raise them up higher. 

SECTIONAL COLONY HOUSE 

Built in Five Conveniently Handled Sections. Can Easily 

Be Set Up or Taken Apart for Moving. 

A poultry house built in sections, so that it may be 
taken down for moving and readily reassembled in a new 
location, often is desirable, especially for the use of per- 
sons who do not own their own homes and who are com- 
pelled to move more or less frequently. To meet this re- 
quirement the Storrs (Conn.) Agricultural College has 
designed the house illustrated in Figs. 125, 126, 127, and 
128. The following description is given in a circular 
issued by the Department of Extension Service of this 
institution: 

"Building in sections and putting together is a type 
of construction which requires a minimum amount of 
material and no extra labor. The demonstration house 
here described was built by an amateur carpenter in fif- 
teen hours' time. The following bill of material was 
used: 



T7.60 
1.03 
.81 
.60 



.26 
.40 
.34 



Best roofers — 200 ft.. 14 ft. x 1x6 in 
Sills and studs — 4 pieces, 12 ft. x 2x3 in 
Furrowing- — 9 pieces, 12 ft. x 1x2 in 

Window — 1, 3-light 9x13 in 

Wire — 8 feet l-inch mesh. 2 feet wide 
Unbleached sheeting- — 1 yard, 42 inches wide 
Hing-es — 2 pairs. 4 inch T hinges . 

Hoolcs and eyes — 15 

Nails — 5 lbs.. 6p 

Nails— 3 lbs.. 8p 

Screws — 1 dozen, 1% inch 

Roofing paper — ^ roll 1.00 

Total cost J12.86 

"The accompanying plans are somewhat different 
from the ordinary house plan in that each section is 
shown as it appears when completed, lying outside down, 
before putting together. The best boards should be 



-.0-?- 



Oi, 



■J£- 



'^'^. 



J- 



Si 



FIG. 125 — FRONT OF SECTIONAL POULTRY HOUSE 

From blue print furnished by Storrs (Conn.) 

Agricultural College. 

chosen for the side walls, which may be made tight by 
painting. Do not neglect painting, as such lumber -will 
not stand the weather. Boards which are not perfectly 
tight may be used for the roof, as it is covered with roof- 
ing paper. The cloth curtain in front, which is 32x39 in- 
ches, outside measurement, slides up and down outside 



68 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



.^T 


^ 










- 




-^ 


^^ 


__ 






i«" 




\\ 


fi/3- 


9^" 


f 


1 1 




w^ 




^ 




I 1 
1 1 








■| 1 


S3 

0, 


1 


' — //"—^2: 


1 


ti::::4:::t:::J 


n j_] 


ri2' 11 1 












, 


























^i^^Z' Z'^5" i 1 j 



-S-S' 



FIG. 126 — EAST END OF SECTIONAL POULTRY HOUSE 

From blue print furnished by Storrs (Conn.) 

Agricultural College. 

and may be fastened in any position with the hook, which 
is turned into the top. The window on the end swings 
out and may be held open at any angle by the button on 
the casing. The droppings board, which is 6 feet long 
and 21 inches wide, rests on cleats which are provided on 
each end section. The feeding board for mash hopper 
and water dish is 21 inches long and 16 inches wide, and 
is located under the window. It is supported by the 
droppings board on one end, and a brace running down 
to the sill on the other. The nests are simply a long 
box without partitions, 12 inches high. 12 inchQ.s wide, and 
4 feet long, supported by a cleat on the brace under the 
feeding platform on one end and a cleat on the back wall 
on the other end. Hooks and eyes or screws are used 
to fasten the corners of the house together and hold the 
roof in place. Nails may be used if the house is not to 
be taken apart and moved. No floor is provided as this is 
not considered necessary under average conditions. 

AN ATTRACTIVE PIANO BOX HOUSE 

Made From Two Piano Boxes. Is Practical, Comfortable 

and Inexpensive. 

By HARRY n. PHIPPS 

Inexpensive poultry houses may readily be made from 
piano boxes. The substantial one shown in Fig. 132 is 
a good example of a house of this type, and it can be 



I T ' /' 



-U 



■/&'■ 




FIG. 128 — WEST END OF SECTIONAL POULTRY HOUSE 

From blue print furnished by Storrs (Conn.) 

Agricultural College. 

built with comparatively little work. It is made by re- 
moving the backs and tops of two piano boxes and plac- 
ing them together, back to back, on a substantial foun- 
dation. 

Two pieces, 6 inches wide and 20 inches long, are 
fastened to the top of both boxes, to give pitch to the 
roof. The two boxes are to be fastened together with 
upright strips, 4 inches wide and 4 feet 6 inches long. If 
it is desired to make the house portable, use screws in- 
stead of nails for the purpose. A door 4 feet 6 inches 
high and 16 inches wide is cut out of the end of one of 
the boxes and a yard door for the fowls near one corner. 

Nail a 2 or 3-inch strip around the edge of the roof 
to give a projection and then nail on the roof boards and 
cover them with prepared roofing. The window in the 




FIG. 127 — BACK OF SECTIONAL POULTRY HOUSE 

From blue print furnished by Storrs (Conn.) 

Agricultural College. 



FIG. 129— ROOF OF SECTIONAL POULTRY HOUSE 

From blue print furnished by Storrs (Conn.) 

Agricultural College. 



PORTABLE COLONY AND BROODER HOUSES 



69 




FIG. 130 — A LOW-COST PIANO BOX COOP 

front of the building contains four 8xl0-inch panes of 
glass and there is a ventilating opening in the gable pro- 
vided with an 8xl0-inch pane, which slides in suitable 
grooves, providing additional ventilation when required. 
The bars across the window are made from old buggy 
tires and are a desirable addition where there is danger 
of the fowls being molested by thieves. 

In this house the perch is located along the wall, op- 
posite the window, and a suitable droppings board about 
2 feet wide should be provided. The nests may be cheaply 
made and may be suspended from the front edge to the 
droppings board, which should be high enough to allow 
the fowls the free use of the entire floor. There will be 
sufficient lumber from the backs of the boxes to make 
the droppings board, window cases and a little screen 
over the exit door, etc. 

The only materials required in building this house, 
aside from the two piano boxes, are the window glass, 
roofing, one pair of hinges, one hasp and a little paint. 

LOW COST PIANO BOX COOP 

The house shown in Fig. 130 has a floor space of ap- 
proximately 30 square feet and was made from a single 
piano box. The back of the box forms the floor. The 
front was removed and the sides filled in on the line of 
the slope of the top part of the front, thus giving a plain 
shed roof. The roof boards were nailed to battens and 
hinged at the front so that the entire roof could be 



raised for cleaning, etc. In the ordinary care of fowls, 
access_ to the interior is secured through the 2yix3-it. 
opening, which is protected with double screens, one cov- 
ered with netting and the other with muslin. 

COMBINED PORTABLE HOUSE AND RUN 

An Easily-Moved Coop For a Small Flock of Confined 
Fowls or Chicks. 

The combined coop and run illustrated in Fig. 131 
is one of several in successful use on an eastern back- 
yard poultry plant. This house is only about 4 feet 
-quare, but is expected to accommodate 12 fowls. While 
this crowds them to an unusual extent the owner reports 
good winter egg yields nothwithstanding this. As will 
be seen, canvas is tacked to the north side of the run to 
cut off the cold winds which come from this quarter, and 
the house is provided with a hinged, muslin-covered 
frame on the south side, which affords some light and 




FIG. 132— AN ATTRACTIVE PIANO BOX POULTRY HOUSE 

ventilation when closed, and which can be left open when 
the weather is mild. In the early summer these houses 



and runs are 




FIG. 131 — COMBINATION COOP AND YARD 



for brood coops, the chicks being 
transferred to them as soon as they 
no longer need artificial heat. 

The advantage of a house of this 
sort is that it may readily be trans- 
ferred, run and all, to new ground. 
When the pens are located on a good 
grass sod they can be shifted every 
few days to a new location, thus pro- 
viding an abundance of green food 
without allowing the fowls to remain 
long enough in any one place to kill 
out the grass. For a small flock it i.^ 
possible to build a house and outdo-r 
run in this way at lower cost, prcb- 
ably, than in any other way. The 
floor of the house is about 2 ft. above 
the ground, or on a level with the to]) 
of the run. This provides a sheltered 
space underneath, from which the 
fowls reach the upper floor, where 
perches and nests are located, by 
means of an incline. 



CHAPTERVII 

Permanent Brooder Houses 

Every Farm or Poultry Plant Where Early Hatched Chicks Are Raised Should Have a Permanent, Conveniently 
Arranged Brooder House— Merits of Different Brooder Systems Briefly Compared— Plans for Practical Lamp- 
Heated Hovers With or Without Auxiliary Heat— Hot Water Brooding Systems- 
One and Two-Compartment Houses for Colony Hovers. 



o 



IL and coal-burning colony hovers, each one capa- 
ble of brooding a single flock of several hundred 
chicks, have largely supplanted lamp-heated hov- 
ers and hot-water pipe brooding systems in popu- 
lar favor. They possess the important advantage of low 
cost for installation and operation and adaptability to 
use almost anywhere indoors, and they effect a great 
saving in labor on account of the very large flocks they 
are able to brood successfully. Nevertheless, it is well 
to bear in mind the fact that there still are conditions 
under which other methods of brooding will be found 
desirable. 

Where the chicks are to be raised in large numbers 
and in moderate weather, colony hovers unquestionably 
offer the most economical means now known for doing 
this. Under ordinary circumstances, however, it is not 
claimed that the chicks raised in flocks of 300 to 600 each 
will be as well developed as when brooded in smaller 
flocks under a good-sized lamp-heated hover accommo- 
dating 75 to 100 each. Also, in extreme winter weather 
poultry keepers generally believe that they cannot raise 
chicks under colony hovers as satisfactorily as in regular 
pipe-heated brooder houses. 

Plans for various types of brooder houses are pro- 
vided in this book, and the poultry grower is earnestly ad- 
vised to consider carefully just what his real needs are in 
the way of brooding facilities before deciding on the 
equipment to be purchased. If broilers or ordinary com- 
mercial or farm flocks are to be raised, no doubt the 
colony hover will meet most requirements, though there 
are few poultry plants that will not find it good economy 

Na 
■ 7- 6" « ^ 



to have a few lamp-heated hovers on hand to meet the 
various emergencies that are liable to arise wherever 
chicks are brooded. 

Where chicks are to be raised on a small scale, or 
where small incubatois are in use and the broods conse- 
quently are small and of different ages, nothing will take 
the place of good lamp-heated hovers. The plan of pro- 
viding partitions, with the idea of brooding two or more 
flocks under one colony hover, is only partially satisfac- 
tory, especially when the flocks are of different ages. In 
this case either the hover will be too warm for the older 
chicks or it will be too cold for the younger; either way 
heavy losses are liable to result. 

Where chicks are to be raised for breeding stock, it is 
highly important that they be given the best possible con- 
ditions for growth and development, and it seldom is ad- 
visable to brood such stock in colony hovers. It is much 
better to go to the additional expense of brooding them 
in small flocks under lamp-heated hovers and thus make 
sure of giving the individual chicks the best possible 
chance. 

For winter brooding, pipe-heated brooder houses are 
still regarded as indispensable by many poultrymen. Pipe- 
heated systems, properly installed, provide plenty of heat 
without great extremes in different parts of the brooding 
chamber, floor drafts are reduced to a minimum, and valu- 
able chicks may thus be given highly favorable conditions 
for growth and development at this most difficult season 
for successful brooding. 

The reader must determine for himself just what 
method or combination of methods will meet his condi- 

// Brackst-i, 

15'- O" 



y/a-tlsr So ilsr 




FIG. 133 — FLOOR PLAN OF PERMANE.NT BROODER HOUSE 



PERMANENT BROODER HOUSES 



71 




FIG. 134 — FRONT ELEVATION OF PERMANENT BROODER HOUSE 

tions, bearing in mind, however, that he can better afford 
to employ inadequate facilities and makeshift equipment 
at any other point than in the brooding of his chicks. 

BROODER HOUSE FOR LAMP-HEATED HOVERS 

May Be Built With or Without Auxiliary Heat. 

Brooding With Lamp-Heated Hovers is 

Practical With the Right Kind 

of House. 

The floor dimensions of the brooder house shown in 

Figs. 133 to 141 inclusive, are 16x30 feet. It can, of 

course, be built any length, but under ordinary conditions 



Hinged at Top^^ 


•^ 


^^ 


— IF= 


^ 


^ 




^^"■S^^^^^^ 




T f 


ll, 11 


ff^ 


x" ""*■*■*• 


1 










[u 








L 


J 






i-.e-ic'-i'x 


= 










□a 


















L 


^^ 





FIG. 135 — END El^BVATION OF PERMANENT 
BROODER HOUSE 

a width of 16 feet is most satisfactory and should be 
maintained, regardless of length. 

There are few poultry plants where such a house as 
this will not be found a profitable 
part of the equipment, making it pos- 
sible to brood chicks successfully at 
almost any season and under the 
most favorable conditions. Even 
where colony hovers are depended 
on for brooding the bulk of the 
young chicks, a small, well-equipped 
brooder house of this sort, for use 
in brooding small flocks and special- 
quality stock, will soon pay for itself. 

The foundation should be six-inch 
concrete walls and these should ex- 
tend six inches above the ground 
level. The foundation should be car- 
ried down to the frost line or to 
solid ground — 18 to 24 inches as a 
rule. 

Earth floors are not practical for 
brooding houses where rats are com- 
mon, as these pests like nothing bet- 
ter than young chicks, and can be 



depended upon to get them eventual- 
ly, even though the entire floor is 
carefully screened with netting. 
Board floors are open to the objec- 
tion that they are colder and also 
harbor rats unless raised well off the 
ground, which necessitates long in- 
clines for the chicks. 

Generally speaking, therefore, con- 
crete floors are most suitable, though 
they must be thoroughly insulated 
and kept covered with coarse sand 
or deep litter to avoid injury to the 
chicks confined in them. For brooder 
house floors of concrete, cinders are 
recommended, as this material makes a warmer floor than 
either stone or gravel. By cinders is meant the coars^ 
ashes fiom large furnaces and boilers. Ordinary fine ashes 
from stoves and furnaces will not do, and if there is 
much of this material in the cinders it should be sifted 
or washed out. 

If a board floor is preferred, it should be laid double, 
with sheathing paper between, also one-inch poultry net- 
ting which will make it impossible for rats to gnaw 
through. Bear in mind, however, that if rats succeed in 
establishing themselves underneath the house, it will be 
only a matter of time until they will succeed in getting 
at the chicks, no matter how carefully they are protected. 
Houses that are to be used in cold weathec should al- 
ways be ceiled. The additional cost of doing this will be 
amply repaid by the smaller amount of fuel required. Lath 
and plaster may be used if preferred, but, under ordinary 
conditions, ceiling is much better suited to poultry-house 
construction. Building paper should always be tacked to 
the studs before siding or ceiling is put in place. A layer 
of sheathing paper should also be nailed to the lower side 
of the ceiling joists or rafter ties before the ceiling is 
nailed on. Ventilation openings should be provided in 
the ceiling, as shown in Fig. 141, page 73. In small 
houses it is sufficient to have louvered ventilators in each 
gable, but in houses SO feet or more in length it is neces- 
sary to provide roof ventilators also. 

The ground should be graded up to the front sill so 
that the chicks will have easy access to the yards. The 
siding should be carried up close to the roof boards, 
notching the top board carefully for the rafters. For cold 
climates, storm doors for all outside doors are advisable. 




FIG. 136— CROSS SECTION OF PERMANENT BROODER HOUSE 



72 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




Pipe-heated hovers are not recommended in small 
brooder houses, as better results usually are secured at less 
expense where the pens are equipped with individual lamp- 
heated hovers. In houses 50 feet long and upwards, pipe- ■ 
heated hovers may be found more economical, though 
many chick growers prefer individual hovers in brooder 
houses of any length. Where chicks are to be brooded in 

mid -winter, houses 
tj-jyv;. ^ . , ^ equipped with indi- 
"^'^////id vidual hovers should 
have some source oi 
auxiliary heat. This 
iPoor '^''«'?lt^^^^2 'S '^^^^ supplied by 
p^^ means of a water 

■Clsa^^—--^ heater and a coil of 

FIG. 137-CONSTRUCTION OF ■ ^^ ^^^^^ ;„ 

CHICK DOOR , . , -T-t. 

this plan. The pipes 

for auxiliary heat should be placed along the north side 

and as low as the size of the heater will permit, but it is 

not necessary to place the heater in a pit, as there is no 

disadvantage in having the pipes well up on the wall, so 

long as they are not above the rear windows. 

Fig. 133 shows floor plan, with six hovers, each 
capable of accommodating about 100 chicks. The number 
of pens may be reduced to five if preferred, and made five 
feet wide, which is a more convenient width for the care- 
taker. The heater is located at the farther end, where it is 
out of the way but easily cared for. A heater with a 12- 
inch grate should provide ample heat for a house of this 
size. Do not make the mistake of keeping the house too 
warm; 60 to 65 degrees is warm enough, as a rule. The 
individual hovers can be depended upon to provide the 
necessary additional heat without at any time having the 
lamps turned dangerously high. 

Fig. 136 shows a cross section indicating adjustment of 
windows, etc., also construction of -partitions. These are 
to be built up of flooring or any other tongue-and-groove 
lumber, to a height of 21 inches above the brooder house 
floor, with three-foot wire netting above. Note location of 
ceiling ventilator and see Fig. 141 for detail drawing. Figs. 
134 and 135 show elevation of front and end respectively. 

Fig. 140 is an enlarged drawing of a pen front. Note 
that the first eight inches is occupied by the joist carrying 
the hover floor. The hover floor is set back one inch 
from face of joist and the space from top of joist to bottom 
of pen door is boarded up with matched flooring, or with 
a nine-inch surfaced board if desired. The doors, which 
are 2x3 feet, have lx3-inch frames, with one-inch mesh 
poultry netting tacked on with double-pointed tacks, so 
that there will be no loose ends to catch clothing. The 
studs on either side of the door are 2x2 inches and the 






FIG. 138— CONSTRUCTION OF HOVER FLOOR IN 
BROODER HOUSE 

partitions are nailed to them. The studs are faced with 
Ixl^-inch strips and spaced 23^ inches apart, so that the 
door will swing shut against the face of the stud. The 
rest of the front not occupied by the doors is finished with 
three-inch strips and one-inch netting, same as doors. 



Where the brooding pens are five feet wide or more, 
it is desirable to have the pen doors hung on double-acting 
spring hinges, but this cannot be done with four-foot pens, 
as in these narrow pens the 
door cannot swing in with- 
out striking the hover. 

Fig. 139 is a detail draw- 
ing of chick door and win- 
dow construction. Both door 
and window are to be 
framed, the window closing 
against a 5/2xl-inch weather 
strip. This strip is cut short 
at the bottom to allow the 
bottom of the window to 
swing out when opened, the 
window being hinged to the 
sill, as shown. A short 
length of chain attached to 
the sash with a screw eye 
and dropping over a hook in 
the casing above, affords a 
convenient means of adjust- 
ing the window at any 
angle. A spring window bolt 
mav be used to hold the win- 
dow when closed. The chick 
door slides up and is held 
open with hook and eye. The 
window sill may be of plait, 
tv/o-inch stuff, placed at ai. 
angle, if desired; but it is 

easier and better to have a milled sill, spiking it flat to 
the undersill, as shown. The chick door sill may be sloped, 
if desired, but there is no real necessity for doing so and 
construction is simpler as indicated. The outside doors 
are framed, as shown in Fig. 26 on page 19. The ven- 
tilator door, shown in Fig. 141. is hung flush with the 
lower face of the ceiling, making the opening wide 
enough so that the door will swing freely. It may be 
conveniently swung on a ^-inch iron rod, stapling it 




FIG. 139 — DETAILS OP 
WINDOW CON- 
STRUCTION 




FIG. 140— PEN FRONT IN BROODER HOUSE 

tightly to the door and letting it turn in staples driven 
into the ceiling on each side. This rod should be stapled 
to the door just enough off center so that it will swing 
shut when not fastened open. A couple of small blocks, 
nailed to the upper side of the ceiling at either end of 
the door, act as stops. The door may be held open by a 
weight, or by attaching the cord to stud or partition. 
These doors should be approximately under the highest 
point in the roof, providing two in this 30-foot house and 
spacing them 20 feet apart in long houses. 



PERMANENT BROODER HOUSES 



73 




UETA\L OF 



Cord for AJJiJS^i^P Do^f 



Batnsn Doar 16' f :&• 
S*w*-*'^ ory 1" Iron ^od 
stapled *o C^iUfi^ o* cccn 
lend so ih<3^ Oocr can ^cu-n^ 

CEIUNS/ VENTILATION 
Scale: t" - r - O* 



Fig. 138 shows the construction of hover fl 
way and finish of passageway partition. 



oor, run- 



BILt, OF M.VTERIALS FOR l«x30 FOOT BROODBR HOUSE 

T,„ ^Size Length No. of „„„ , , 

Us* Inches Feet Pieces K'tiiark, 

Sills, side 2x4 16 4 

Sills, ends 2x4 16 2 

Joists for hover plat 2x4 12 6 

Plates 2x4 16 4 

Studs, front 2x4 10 9 1 piece cuts li 

Studs, rear 2x4 13 8 1 piece cuts 2 

Studs, ends and misc 2x4 12 12 

Studs, partition 2x2 12 10 1 piece cuts 2 

Rafters 2x6 14 Ifi 

Rafters 2x6 12 8 1 piece cuts 2 

Ties for rafters 2x4 12 15 

Braces for rafters 1x6 8 15 

SheathinpT for roof 660 ft. bd. meas. Sfcd. 

T & G siding 626 ft. bd. meas. 

Matched flooring- for 
hover platform, parti- 
tions, etc, 260 ft. bd. meas. 

%-inch ceiling boards 

for walls and ceiling.. 1250 ft. bd. meas. 

%x6-inch boards for 
ridge pole, door and 

window frames 125 lin. feet. Surfaced 

Trim lumber, ventila- 
tors, etc %x4 430 'in. feet. Surfaced 

Door and window sills.. 2x8 40 lin. feet. Milled. 

Strips for Inside win- 
dow sills, and facing 
for front partition 

studs %xl% 75 lin. feet. 

Strips for window stops 

and chick runway %xl 150 lin. feet. Surfaced 

Drip cap 30 lin. feet. Surfaced 

6 squares prepared roofing. 
12 squares building paper. 
266 sq. ft. 1-inch mesh poultry netting for windows. 



11 .sa.'ihes. 11/2 -inch. 4-light, 10xl2-inch glass. 
1 4-panel door. 
1 pr. 4-inch butt hinges. 

1 rim lock. 

6 pr. 3-inch butt hinges for partition doors. 
11 pr, 2-inch butt hinges for windows. 
18 2-inch screw hooks and eyes. 
14 ft. of sash chain. 

6 anchor bolts V4xl2in., with 2-in. washers for each end. 

2 iron rods, >4x20-inch. for swinging ventilator doors in 
ceiling. 

1 6-inch chimney thimble. 
350 bricks for chimney. 

MATERI.\L,S FOR CONCRETE FLOOR 

50 bags of cement. 
120 cu. ft. sand. 

200 cu ft. cinders or crushed stone. 
160 cu. ft. cinders or stone for filling. 
BaUIPMENT 
Water boiler, 12-inch grate. 

5 gal. expansion tank. 

6 feet of 2-inch pipe. 

100 feet of iy2-inch pipe. 

Necessary manifolds, unions, elbows, etc. 

4 wall brackets for supporting pipe. 

2 joints of 6-inch stove pipe. 

2 stove pipe elbows. 

6 lamp-heated hovers, complete. 

MASSACHUSETTS OPEN PIPE BROODER HOUSE 

A Popular Type of Brooder House for Extra 

Early Chicks. Used Quite Generally in 

Nev7 England. Hot Water Pipes 

Not Enclosed. 

Hy PROF. J. C. GRAHAM 

(A type of hot-water pipe brooding house in general 
use in New England, where it lias given excellent results 
for many years, is known as the open-pipe system. One 
of the most modern and best planned houses of this kind 
is the one designed and in use at the Massachusetts Agri- 
cultural Colle.ge, which is described by Prof. Graham as 
follows. This house is illustrated in Figs. 142 and 143. — ■ 
Ed.) 

This house is designed for early or winter brooding 
by people who wish to brood in lar.ge numbers. It is 14x72 
feet. Twelve feet at one end is used for the pit, furnace, 
coal, etc. The other 60 feet are divided into 12 pens, each 
five feet wide, as shown in detail in Fig. . It is heated by 
hot water, the pipes running parallel with the floor. The 
floor has a fall of IS inches toward the pit. This gives a 
good chance for flow and return. The walls, both front 
and rear, are 6^ feet high. 

The house is lathed and plastered on the inside with 
wood pulp plaster. This gives a very hard, smooth finish 
and is about as cheap a method of construction as one can 
use for a good finished piece of work. In the ceiling there 
are three openings, each about 15x24 feet. These are for 
ventilation particularly. Over these are placed burlap 
screens or small doors. 

As can be -ieen, it has a good cement foundation and 




Fia 142— FLOOR PLAN OF PIPE HEATED BROODER HOUSE IN USE AT MASSACHUSETTS AGRI. COLLEGE 



74 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



cement floor. Novelty siding is nailed on the outside of 
the studs. There is no double boarding on the inside. This 
building cost about $1050 and has given good satisfaction. 
Note that the only hover we have is a burlap screen. 
This is laid over about one-half of the space between par- 
titions, therefore it is about 2}4 feet square. After the 
first few days it is removed. We also have a board about 
12 inches high to keep the chicks within about two feet of 
the pipes for the first 24 to 48 hours. It is then moved 
back to about the middle of the run for another day or 
two, and finally removed, giving the chicks the use of the 
entire run. 

The pit is 4^ feet deep. If possible, it would be well 
to have a drain in this pit. In cold weather the water 
could be run off easily without carrying it out. Further- 
more, in cleaning a brooder house the work should be done 
thoroughly, and by the use of a hose the floor could be 
flooded and the water carried away by this drain. Of 
course, it may not be convenient to do this, but in case it 
is it will be well to provide for it. 

There are eight 1'4-inch pipes 5J4 inches from the 




FIG. 143— PIPE HE.\TED BROODER HOU.SE .\T M.A.SS. AGRI. COLLEGE 



rear and four inches apart on centers. The pipes are seven 
inches from the floor, but it would be just as well to drop 
them one inch, making the distance from the pipes to the 
floor six inches instead of seven inches. 

Each hover will take care of 100 chicks, although we 
believe better results follow when the number is reduced 
to 50 or 75. 

BIM> OP MATERIALS FOR PIPE3-HBATED BROODER 



Use Piecei 

Studs, sides 37 

Studs, ends 2 

Rafters 37 

Sills 2 

Sills :. 8 

Plates 8 

Girders 35 

Headers 7 

Posts for partition 6 

Post for railing 1 

Plant for bin 2 



2x4 
2x3 
2x4 
2x3 
2x4 
2x9 



Novelty siding (front and rear 982) 
(ends and rear 282) 
Roof boards 
Partition .... 

Rhing-les 

Lath and plaster 
Concrete foundation 
Concrete floor 
Partitions, wire 

Door.s — 2. 
Windows — 12. 
Heater. 
Hardware. 
Chimney. 



Length Board Meas. 

13 ft. 333 
18 ft. 444 
18 ft. 24 

14 ft. 18 
18 ft. 9« 
18 ft. 96 
14 ft. 245 
12 ft. 56 
10 ft. 30 

3 ft. 2 
14 ft. 42 

Total 1386 

1264 
500 
187 

9V4M. 
105 sq. vd. 

18% sq. yd. 
936 sq. ft. 
200 sq. ft. 



PIPE HEATED BROODER HOUSE WITH UNDER- 
NEATH HEATING SYSTEM 
Practical House for Cold Weather Brooding. Pipes 
Under Brooder Floor. Hover Warmed By Gentle 
Current of Hot Air. 

Pipe-heated brooding systems with enclosed pipes 
have been in use for many years and have given varying 
degrees of satisfaction. A serious objection to this method 
of brooding is that, as such heating systems usually are 
installed, there is not a sufficient ventilation under the 
hovers. In order to provide the better air circulation 
needed, the pipes may be placed below the hover floor 
and enclosed in a chamber or long narrow box where air 
can be heated, after which it is discharged under the 
hover, thus maintaining a constant air circulation which 
automatically ventilates the hover space. Plans for a 
house heated in this manner are illustrated in Fig. 144. 
The house here shown is 140 feet long and 13 feet wide, 
and is separated into two parts, 36 feet and 104 feet, re- 
spectively. The short end has 12 pens of 3 feet each in 
width and 10 feet in length, includ- 
ing the hover, and the longer end 
has 24 pens 4 by 10 feet in size. 
The furnace pit and a narrow walk 
separate the two lots of pens, and 
an aisle 3 feet in width extends the 
entire length of the house back of 
the hovers. 

The system of heating pipes is 
installed under the hover floor in 
a concreted trench. The shorter 
end has a 2-inch flow and return 
pipe. The long end has two flow 
and two return l^^-inch pipes, and 
both sides are controlled by valves 
near the heat whereby all or a part 
of the flow may be shut off from 
the pipes. The trench is made by 
excavating to a depth of 6 inches 
and 36 inches wide. The sides and 
bottom are cemented and the top is boarded with a 
course of rough 1-inch boards, covered with a layer of 
matched J-g-inch spruce flooring (K). This double board- 
ing prevents any danger of too much bottom heat. The 
boarding comes flush with the edges of the trench sides, 
and the frame work of the hovers is of lx3-inch posts 
which are only as high as the hover divisions (C), which 
in the small pens are 10 inches and in the large pens 12 
inches. 

This gives a house entirely free from inside posts and 
makes possible a view of the whole interior from any 
part. The hover floor is 3 feet wide (the width of the 
trench) and in the 3-foot pens the hover top slides on 
cleat (F) 6 inches from the floor. The top or cover is 
only 24 inches wide, which leaves 12 inches of the slightly 
warm floor in front of the hover curtain, making a splen- 
did resting place for the little chicks or ducklings, which 
they evidently enjoy. When first they are put in the 
hover, they are penned back nearly to this floor and the 
gentle warmth helps them and keeps the floor free from 
dampness. The cover being in two parts (A and B) and 
sliding freely on cleats (F), may readily be adjusted so 
as to give ventilation at the back, front or center of the 
hover, or all three, and the surplus heat may escape in 
the same way. 

The hover floor is kept littered with chaff or shavings 
and when the pen is to be cleaned, the hover top is re- 
moved, the back boaid, which sets between cleats, is 



PERMANENT BROODER HOUSES 



75 




FIG. 144— PLANS FOR PIPE HEATED BROODER HOUSE WITH PIPES UNDER FLOOR 
illustration shows part ot front elevation, cross section, floor plan, and isometric view of liover. See ac- 
companying text for key to letters used in isometric, and for general description. 



taken out and the litter swept into the aisle and taken 
away in barrels. When the little chicks are to be changed 
from pen to pen, the back boards are taken out and they 
are driven down the aisles from one pen to another, in 
the long end of the house these are 4 feet wide and the 
hover 8 inches high, but otherwise are the same as the 
short end. The illustration shows a hover closed, one 
with the top partly cut away and one with the top off and 
the back out, ready for cleaning. 

The hot air is admitted to the hovers through the up- 
light lJ4-'nch pipes seen in the lower floor. These pipes 
reach nearly to the underside of the house and the lower 
ends just reach through the board floor, being flush with 
the under side. Back of each second hover (on the divis- 
ion post, so as to be out of the way) is a 2x3 air box 
which reaches down under the side and permits the cold 
air to enter the trench. This gives a chance for the 
warm air in the trench to rise through the short, upright 
pipes under the hover while cold air is drawing from the 
aisle, making a perfect circulation. The warm air strike? 
the hover and, deflecting, makes the entire hover space 
warm, but doesnot expose the chick to drafts or to direct 
heat. The sliding two-piece hover-top permits of ventil- 
ation and the escape of surplus heat at the will of the 
operator. For the older chicks no curtain is supplied for 
the hover front, which is left entirely open. 

MATERIALS REaUIRBD FOR 100-FOOT HOUSE 

Sills, 12 pieces, 3 by 4, 18 feet: 2 pieces, 3 bv 4 14 feet. 
Plates, 12 pieces, 2 by 4, 18 feet: 2 pieces, 2 by 4, 14 feet. 
Studs. (10 feet to enters), 11 pieces. 2 by 4. 6 feet 3 inches; 

30 pieces. 2 by 3. 4 feet 7 inches. 
Grits. 10 pieces. 2 by 3. 12 feet. 
Rafters. 51 pieces, 2 by 4, 16 feet. 

Extra for slides, door frames, etc.. 8 pieces. 2 by 3. 16 feet. 
Rafter ties, 49 pieces. 1 by 6, 7 feet. 
Boards, outside, 700 feet 14-feet. 2300 feet 16-feet: inside. 

524 feet: total, plain, 3524 feet; matched. 900; if ceiled 

inside add 2400 feet. 



Board up and down, roof lengthwise. 
Paper, roof, 1500 feet; bal.".nce 1400 feet. 
Doors, three 3 by 6 feet 6 inches, one 2 by 5. 
Wire netting to suit use, 1-inch mesh. 

HOVER WORK 

Sills. 12 pieces. 2 by 6. 16 feet. 

Floor. 300 feet. 12 feet. 

Covers, divisions and back, matched 500 feet, 12 feet. 

Pen division boards, 14 pieces, 1 by 12, 16 feet. 

Windows, 14 12-light, 9 bv 13; 6 rear windows 6-Iight, 9 by 

13; 2 end windows, 6-light. 9 by 13. 
Cement floor under all, 1300 feet. 

Pit wall 18 inches. 5 by 8 feet. 5 feet deep, pointed. 
Walk across pit and stairs, 5 pieces, 2 by 6, 16 feet. 
Heating and piping to suit. 

COMBINATION HOT WATER AND COLONY 
HOVER BROODER HOUSE 

Front Section Heated By Hot Water Pipes Underneath 

Floor. Rear Section Accommodates Several 

Colony Hovers. 

The semi-monitor roof brooder house, shown in Fig. 
145, was designed by J. W. Parks, the well-known breeder 
of Barred Plymouth Rocks, after a careful study of 
brooder-house construction in general and his own special 
requirements in particular. It has been in use on his poul- 
try plant for the past few years with complete success. It 
is unique in brooder-house construction in that it utilizes 
both the hot water and colony hover brooding systems, 
one helping out the other to some extent and thus, it is 
believed, getting the best results from each. 

The house is 65 feet lon(^ and 28 feet wide. Both front 
and rear walls are five feet high from sills to eaves and 
the front of the rear section is 11 feet high. The house is 
divided lengthwise in the center, the front part being 
equipped with a water boiler and a coil of heating pipes. 
A space about 5x10 feet is occupied by the boiler and coal 
bin, the boiler standing in a three-foot pit. The out.-=i'1c 



76 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




-COMBINATION PIPE HEATED AND COLONY HOVER 
BROODING HOUSE 
Photo furnished by J. W. Parks. 



door opens into a passageway 3]^ feat wide and sunk so 
that the floor is three feet below the main floor of the 
house. The coil of hot water pipes, consisting of six lines 
of 154-inch pipe, is enclosed in a wooden box underneath 
the floor of the house. Each compartment is provided 
with a hover, which is heated by means of warmed air, 
which is admitted from the pipe box to the hover chamber 
through hot air flues suitably located in the floor under 
the hover. This part of the house is divided into IS pens, 
each four feet wide and having a normal brooding capac- 
ity of about 100 chicks, or 1,500 in all. 

The back part of the house, which is separated from 
the front by an open partition of wire and boards, is di- 
vided into five compartments, each equipped with a coal- 
burning colony hover. In cold weather, with the water 
heater in operation, the temperature of the entire house 
is made comfortable, and the colony hovers are more 
easily operated and regulated to the correct brooding tem- 
perature, thus protecting the chicks from extreme changes 
in room temperature that often occur with this method of 
brooding when something goes wrong with the regulating 
device or the supply of fuel. Operating cclony hovers in 
a partially heated house also reduces the danger of floor 
drafts, which are especially liable to exist when the out- 
side temperature is quite low. 

In ordinary operation Mr. Parks uses the colony 



hover pens for his market or utility 
chicks, while his best stock — the blue- 
blooded chicks that are to have the 
most favorable conditions possible, 
are brooded in the hot water heated 
compartments. In writing regarding 
these two systems and their respec- 
tive merits, Mr. Parks says: 

"I like the pipe system better. 1 
have about as good success with one 
as with the other and the pipe sys- 
tem is more expensive than the other 
on account of the greater labor re- 
quired for caring for small flocks of 
chicks, also because of the larger in- 
vestment in equipment. But to get 
best results chicks should be brooded 
in comparatively small flocks; more- 
over, chicks brooded under a colony hover should all be 
of the same age, and as we do not get as many as SOO 
chicks of our best matings that we can brood together, 
it is necessary to have the smaller compartments of the 
pipe-heated system to care for them. 

"Colony hovers no doubt are the cheapest for brood- 
ing chicks in large numbers. It takes some skill, however, 
to handle colony hover chicks after they are ten days old, 
when, if not carefully handled, they are liable to get 
switched into corners where they crowd and sweat instead 
of gathering in a loose open ring under the hover or dome, 
as they should. In hot weather, also, there is some trouble 
keeping the fire low enough without having it go out. 
You will see from this that I use both methods and find 
both necessary to best results under my conditions. My 
brooding losses the past two years have not been much 
more by one method than the other. Have had as few as 
ten lost at four weeks out of a lot of SOO. though, of 
course, not all lots do so well." 

The door of this house is at end opposite the one 
shown in Fig. 145, and opens into a sunken passageway 
back of the pipe-heated hover system. The ground in 
front of the pens is graded up to the sills so that the 
chicks can pass readily from house pens to yards without 
the use of special board inclines. 




FIG. 146 — REAR ELEVATION OF SINGLE PEN 
COLONY HOVER HOUSE 

From blue print furnished by Poultry Division of U. 
Department of Agriculture. 




PIG. 147 — FRONT ELEVATION OP SINGLE PEN 
COLONY HOVER HOUSE 
From blue print furnished by Poultry Division of t 
Department of Agriculture. 



PERMANENT BROODER HOUSES 



n 



A SINGLE COMPARTMENT COLONY BROODER 

HOUSE 

This Portable House Can Be Moved With a Two-Horse 

Team if Light-Weight Lumber is Used in 

Building It. 

Where a single compartment house for colony- 
brooding is required, the plans shown in Figs. 146, 147 
and 148 will be found practical and economical. These 
plans were prepared by the Poultry Division of the U. S. 
Department of Agriculture and houses constructed from 
them are in use on the Government Experiment Farm at 
Eeltsville, near Washington. D. C. 

The plans provide for a lOxlO-foot house, on runners 
for convenient moving, and its genera! outlines are easily 
understood from the drawings. All dimensions are indi- 
cated. The floor is of tongue-and-groove flooring, laid 
on 2x6-inch joists set 2 feet apart. Rafters are 2 feet 
apart, and corners and runners are thoroughly braced. 
Following is the bill of materials required: 

125 sq. ft. T & G flooring- %x2^4 in. x 10 ft. 
325 sq. ft. T & G flooring- 78x2% in. x 12 ft. 

6 PCS. 2x6 incli x 10 ft., for joists. 

2 pes. 4x6 in. x 12 ft. for runners. 

6 pes. 2x4 in. x 14 ft. for rafters. 
16 pes. 2x4 in. x 12 ft. for braces and studs. 
150 sq. ft. siieathing ''/8Xl2 in. x 12 ft., surfaced 1 side. 
1^ rools roofing paper. 

4 sashes, 2 ft. square. 

2 sashes 18x24 inches. 

Nails, screws, hinges, and paint. 



TWO COMPARTMENT COLONY BROODING 

HOUSE 

Requires Less Fuel, is More Comfortable, and More 

Adaptable to Changing Weather Conditions Than 

Single Compartment Houses. 

Brooding with colony hovers heated by means of oil 
or coal-burning stoves is a comparatively new method, but 
one that has become extremely popular wherever chicks 
are raised in large numbers, and that has practically revo 
lutionized general brooding practice. 

.^s a rule, these hovers are placed in any buildings 
that happen to be available, and usually with good re- 
sults. Large brooder flocks necessarily require much 



t3 



Rafrer Plate 



T 



K 



FIG. 14S— T-WO-SECTION MUSLIN COVERED FRAME 

This two-section shutter is so made that the upper 
part can be opened to provide needed ventilation when 
it is not desirable to have entire shutter open. A cross 
section of shutter is shown at left. The middle button 
at top holds upper section firmly in place when closed. 
The buttons on either side are attached to the frame 
of section and act as stops. 




FIG. 149 — FLOOR PLAN OF SINGLE PEN HQ-QSE FOR 
COLONY HOVER 

From blue print furnished by Poultry Division of U. S. 
Department of Agriculture. 

greater floor space than is provided for flocks of 50 to 100, 
and larger houses or rooms, combined with the method of 
heating employed, frequently develop floor drafts to some 
extent. These must be reckoned with, especially in cold- 
weather brooding. One of the ways of preventing this 
trouble is to build the house so that it can be divided into 
two parts of about equal dimensions, placing the hover 
in one section which is built quite warm but well lighted, 
the other section being used as an exercising compartment 
and generally built with a curtain front. 

The house illustrated in Figs. ISO and 152 has been 
carefully designed to meet the special requirements of 



4% 




PIG. 150— CROSS SECTION OP TWO COMPARTMENT 
HOUSE FOR COLONY HOVER 



78 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



colony brooding and will be found 
suitable for the use of the great ma- 
jority of those who are raising chicks 
by this time and labor-saving method. 
Fig. 152 shows floor plan of house, 
which is 10x24 feet, with a 10-foot 
hover section partitioned off at one 
end. When the chicks are first 
placed under the hover they are to 
be confined to this room. It is large 
enough for several hundred during 
the first week or two, but not so 
large as to invite floor drafts, and 
it can be comfortably heated with 
much less fuel than would be re- 
quired to maintain the correct tem- 
perature if the entire house were in 
one room. 

When the chicks are ten days to 
two weeks old, or when only a few days old in mild 
weather, they should be given access to the exercising 
compartment, which is provided with a muslin shutter for 
ventilation. In order to be able to graduate the ventila- 
tion, a double shutter is provided so that the upper part 
may be opened without disturbing the lower section, thus 
affording fresh air without exposing the chicks to direct 
drafts from the opening, as would be the case if the 
entire shutter were to be opened in severe or stormy 
weather. In milder weather, or when the chicks are 
older and have been somewhat hardened, the entire shut- 
ter may be hooked up, thus giving the chicks practically 
outdoor conditions without exposure. This shutter is 
shown in detail in Fig. 148. 

Fig. 150 is a cross section of the hover end and Fig. 
151 shows the front of the completed house. 

BILL OP MATERIALS FOR COLONY HOVER HOUSE 

Remarks 




151 — FRONT ELEVATION OF TWO-COMPARTMENT HOUSE FOR 
COLONY HOVER 



Frame for top shutter.. %x2 

Strip under shutter %x2V4 

Strip under window %x2% 



20 lin. ft. Surfaced 

6 lin. ft. Surfaced 

10 lin. ft. Surfaced 



sides 
sides 
sides 



Inches 

Sills, sides 2x8 

Sills, ends 2x8 

Sills, half width " 2x4 

Jots'* 2x6 

Plates 2x4 

Studs, front "" 2x4 

Studs, rear 2x4 

Studs, ends 2x4 

Rafters 2x5 

Window sills ' 2x5 

Roof boards 1x10 

T 4 G siding :::.;.%x6 

nili^i ■ .i -; 9-16x4 350 ft 

Door & window frames..%x6 150 lin ft 
60 lin. ft 
25 lin. ft. 



Spike to Inside 
face of side sill. 



325 ft 
450 ft ^ 
300 ft. bd 



Trim boards ■%x4 

Frame for shutter %x3V^ 



bd. meas. Sui 

meas. 

meas. 

meas. 
Surfaced 
Surfaced 
Surfaced 



sides 
sides 
sides 




FIG. 152 — FLOOR PLAN FOR TWO-COMPARTMENT COLONY HOVER HOUSE 



3V4 squares prepared roofing. 

3 squares sheathing paper for floor. 
60 sq. ft. wire netting for curtain front. 

2 12-light windows, 10x12. 

3 pr. 8-inch T-strap hinges. 

3 hasps. 

4 pr. 2-inch butt hinges for windows. 

1 pr. 2% -inch butt hinges for shutters. 
1 pr. 3-inch butt hinges for shutters. 
4 2-inch screw hoolcs and eyes. 
Nails, tacl<s and paint. 

Capacity of Colony Hover Brooding Houses 

Overciowding is genetal among chick raisers, but is 
particularly common in colony-hover brooding where the 
effects of this mistaken practice are most serious. The 
wise chick raiser will conservatively estimate the capac- 
ity of his house as well as the brooder, and will keep 
well inside its limits. The house shown in Figs. 146, 147 
and 149, is large enough for 300 to 500 chicks for the 
first two or three weeks, with proper care, but after that 
time the number positively must be reduced, unless the 
chicks can be outdoors practically all day long. In that 
case the flock may remain undivided until the chicks no 
longer need artificial heat. 

At that time the cockerels should be removed, but 
the pullets may be left to grow to maturity together, 
provided the house can be thoroughly ventilated. The 
capacity of the house shown in Figs. 150, 151 and 152 
is practically the same as for the smaller house during the 
brooding period. After the chicks no longer need artifi- 

cial heat the entire house can be used 

for perches, thus dividing the chicks 
into two flocks. 

For use early in the season, when 
the chicks must be confined indoors, 
estimated capacity should always be 
discounted considerably, as any 
brooder house will comfortably ac- 
commodate many more chicks when 
they are running out most of the 
time. In cold weather brooding, the 
maximum size of the flock for either 
house herein described should not 
exceed 300, and this number must be 
greatly reduced after the chicks are 
a few weeks old. 

In addition to the brooder houses 
illustrated and described in this chap- 
ter, most of which are designed to be 
permanent, the reader should consult 
the plans in Chapter VII. 



CHAPTER VIII 



Practical Incubator Houses 



Where Several Incubators Are Operated Better Results Will Be Secured and Time Saved by Providing a Special Build- 
ing for Them— Plans Are Here Given for a Moderate-Cost Basement Incubator House With Especial 
Provision for Adequate Ventilation^Plans for Low Cost Above-Ground Incubator 
Building, Also a Combination Incubator Cellar and Brooder House. 



'"Zs.l 



y^^\ HE location of the incubator has much to do with 
C) its successful operation. Some persons are able 
maR to get good results with incubators installed in 
aflsM living rooms and in other locations that are far 
from ideal, but at best they do it in spite of the location 
and not on account of it. 

Wherever it is at all possible to do so, the incubator 
should be operated in a cellar, basement, or specially con- 
structed incubator house, such as is illustrated in the fol- 
lowing pages. This is desirable, not 
only to secure a more uniform tem- 
perature than is possible in any 
above-ground building or room, un- 
less very expensively constructed, but 
because such a room provides more 
natural and uniform humidity, and is 
cooler in summer. All practical incu- 
bator operators know that it is par- 
ticularly hard to get good hatches in 
warm rooms, due chiefly to the dif- 
ficulty of securing proper ventilation 
under such conditions. 

For one or two machines, the house 
cellar rhay be satisfactory, but when 

three or more are to be operated it often is difficult to 
secure proper ventilation without interfering with the 
other uses to which such a cellar must be put. Where 
chicks are to be hatched in large numbers, therefore, it 
is desirable to have a special incubator cellar. 

The house shown in Figs. 153, 154, 155 and 156 will 
accommodate ten large-sized lamp-heated machines, but 
can be reduced or enlarged to suit individual require- 
ments. The floor plan with work-room (see Fig. 157) 
will accommodate eight machines and is especially recom- 
mended as being convenient and practical, and well 
worth the additional cost. 

The outside dimensions of this house are 13 feet 10 
inches in width by 26 feet 4 inches in length. This makes 
the inside dimensions of the chamber 12 feet 6 inches by 
25 feet, in the clear. The ceiling is 9 feet 4 inches high. 
If a smaller house is desired the dimensions may be 



changed to suit. For example, a house without vestibule, 
to hold six large-sized incubators, should be 12 feet 6 
inches wide by 15 feet long, in the clear. 

In building, remember that the forms for a five-foot 
concrete wall require heavy bracing. An eight-inch wall 
is provided in the plan (see cross section, Fig. 153), but 
a six-inch wall is sufficiently heavy. Whatever the width 
of the wall, it is desirable to have the bottom extended for 
footing, as shown in Fig. 155. If soft spots are found in 





EhUrtfed Det><it-Door l/entil&torSitde P^riti^Opeir 
FIG. 153— CROSS SECTION OF INCUBATOR HOUSE 



FIG. 154— SIDE ELEVATION OF INCUBATOR HOUSE 



the ground at this depth, which is not probable, the exca- 
vation at these points must be carried down to solid 
ground to prevent cracking and settling of the walls. The 
side walls at the steps may be four to six inches thick, 
and the steps should be solid. 

The frame of this house is to be of 2x6-inch timbers, 
with the sills anchored to the foundation wall. The walls 
above the ground are to be double-boarded with heavy 
sheathing paper nailed to each side of the studs and the 
boards laid over this. The ceiling of the room should 
also have an insulating covering of sheathing paper tacked 
to the lower face of the joists before the boards are 
nailed on. 

Note that burlap frames are to be provided outside 
of all windows, screening the windows from the sun and 
preventing direct air currents when the windows are open. 
In warm weather or when the wind is not blowing, the 
burlap screens may be opened outward admitting more 
air, but still screening the windows from direct sunlight 
which, if unobstructed, is liable to raise the room temper- 
ature several degrees in a short time, and interfere with 
the regulation of the machines. A shingle roof is recom- 
mended for this building as shingles give a more even 
temperature than prepared roofing. Both gables should 
have louvered ventilators, as shown. 

Fig. 153 shows a cross section of the house without 
incubatois. As regularly planned it is to be built three feet 
in the ground, and banked up two feet, which calls for a 
five foot concrete wall, the balance of the side walls being 
of frame construction. The ceiling is carried up into the 
gable to give ample height in the incubator room, a more 
important feature than many realize. The cross section 
shows the installation of the special ventilator flues, which 
insure poor air in the room under all conditions. These 
flues may be of galvanized iron, sewer tile or any other 
available material that is' suitable for the purpose. In 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



building a new incubator house a 
good way is to provide for these 
flues in the concrete wall, which 
makes them indestructible. 

Fig. 106 shows the floor plan as 
designed for ten machines and Fig. 
157 a floor plan with workroom in 
front. With the latter all lamp fill- 
ing and trimming can be done out- 
side of the hatching chamber, where 
convenient facilities may be pro- 
vided for doing the work. This work- 
room is used for testing eggs, also 
for storing hatching eggs where they 
can be held under the best possible 
conditions while awaiting their turn 
to be placed in the machine. The oil 
supply is to be piped from an out- 
side storage tank or barrel, which 
may be buried, or supported above 

the ground on a suitable stand. Where a drain pipe can be 
installed, the floor should slope to a trap conveniently 
located, so that it can be flushed or scrubbed at will. 

Figs. 154 and 155 show front and side elevations. If 
the workroom suggested in Fig. 157 is not wanted it is 



ventilation /s'l^sV" 




riG. 157 — FLOOR PLAN OP INCUBATOR HOUSE WITH WORKROOM 




FIG. 155— FRONT ELEVATION OF INCUBATOR HOUSE 

advisable to enclose the steps so as to provide a vesti- 
bule, which will assist materially in maintaining a uni- 
form temperature. 

The following bill of materials is for a house to be 
built without workroom. If this is to be provided, suffi- 
cient extra material must be added. 




FIG. 156— FLOOR PLAN OP INCUBATOR HOUSE FOR TEN MACHINES 



BILL, OP M-VTERIA1,S FOR INCUBATOR HOIISE! 

Tic Size Length No. of H^martc 

"^^ Inches Feet Pieces Remarks 

Sills, side 2x6 14 4 

Sills, end 2x6 14 2 

Plates, side 2x6 14 4 

Plates, end . 2x6 14 2 

Studs, front & bacli 2x6 10 7 One piece cuts 2. 

Studs, ends 2x6 8 12 Cut to fit. 

Rafters 2x6 10 28 

Ties 1x6 10 13 

Ridge pole 1x7 14 2 

Roof boards 1x10 500 ft. board measure. 

T & G siding 74x6 325 ft. board measure. 

Ceiling '4x4 700 ft board measure. 

Frame for doors 

and windows "8x6 100 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides 

Frame for burlap 

shutter •!'ax2 70 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides 

Trim lumber %k4 150 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides 

Barge boards %x8 100 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides 

5M. shingles. 

1 door, 2 feet 9 inches x 7 feet. 
6 sashes, 6-Iight 12xl2-inch glass. 

6 metal sash adjusters. 
36 sq. ft. burlap. 
6 bolts i4xl2-inch with 2-Inch washers. 
1 pr. 5-inch butt hinges. 
12 pr. 2-inch butt hinges for windows and screens. 
1 metal ventilator slide 5 inches x 2 feet 3 Inches. 
1 door lock. 

4 8-inch ventilator flues with dampers, cords and pullets 
complete. 
Nails, tacks and paint. 

MATERIAL FOR FOUNDATION AND FLOOR 

70 bags of Portland cement. 
162 cu. ft. of sand. 
325 cu. ft. of crushed stone or gravel. 

A SMALL INCUBATOR HOUSE 

Where there are practical objections to building the 
incubator house partially underground, as suggested in 
the preceding plan, it may be built 
entirely above ground and, if proper- 
designed, will give excellent ser- 
vice. Such a house has been in suc- 
cessful use at the Western Washing- 
ton Experiment Station for several 
years. This house can be built at 
comparatively slight cost where cheap 
umber is available, and is large 
enough to meet the requirements of 
farmers and small producers general- 
ly. It can be located wherever con- 
venient and requires no excavation. 
The following description is con- 
densed from Bulletin No. 4 of the 
Western Washington Station; 

"This incubator house, a floor plan 
of which is illustrated in Fig. 158. 
is 16 feet wide, 20 feet long, and 9 
feet to the eaves, finished with No. 1 
rustic, with one-third slope, and has 



PRACTICAL INCUBATOR HOUSES 



81 



I sWngled roof. The door is in the north end. There 
are two windows in each side. The south end of the 
building is built solid, with the exception of the small 
ventilator in the end near the peak, as seen in the north 
end above the door and just below the peak. The house 
was painted red and trimmed in white, giving it a neat 
appearance. 

"To construct an incubator house like the one illus- 
trated in Fig. 158, the following bill of lumber is required: 

3 pieces 4x4-inch, 20 feet long-, for sills. 

2 pieces. 2x4-inch, 20 feet long for plates. 
11 pieces 2x4-inch, 16 feet long for floor joists. 
30 pieces 2x4-inch, 9 feet long for studding. 
11 pieces 2x4-inch, 16 feet long for ceiling joist.s. 
22 pieces 2x4-inch, 12 feet long for rafters. 
750 board feet of matched siding. 

600 board feet of lx6-inch sheathing (also used for corner 
boards and other finish lumber.) 

4 M cedar shingles. 

320 board feet of matched flooring. 
320 board feet of matched ceiling. 

1 door 2 ft. 8 in. X 6 ft. 8 in. 

4 window sashes 12xl6-inch. 4-light. 
To construct the inner hatching room: 

22 pieces 2x3-inch, 9 feet long. 
1200 board feet of matched ceiling. 




158— FLOOR PX.AN OF ABOVE-GROUND INCUBATOR HOUSE 
Reproduced from Bui. 4, West. Washington Exp. Station. 



"The building is constructed on the ground, with a 
wooden floor (concrete is recommended), and stands on 
cedar blocks resting on flat rocks projecting above the 
surface of the ground. The three pieces, 4x4-in.x20-ft., 
provided in the bill of materials, are used as sills, one on 
either side and one in the middle. Eleven pieces, 2x4-in. 
by 16-ft., are nailed to the sills on their edges, two feet 
apart, and covered with lx6-in. tongue-and-groove floor- 
ing. For studding for the outer walls use 2x4-in.x9-ft., set 
two feet apart center to center. For plates use 2x4-in. by 
20-ft. For ceiling joist use 11 pieces 2x4-in.xl6-ft., and for 
rafters. 22 pi'eces 2x4-in.xl2-ft. Ceil with lx4-in. tongue- 
and-groove ceiling. Enclose the building with IxlO-inch 
shiplap. Cover the rafters with lx6-in. sheathing laid two 
inches apart, and shingle. Put in on either side two 3x3- 
ft. windows, placed five feet above the floor. Build the 
frames for the windows to admit opening them by slid- 
ing. These windows cannot be hung on hinges, since the 
inner room would interfere in opening them. Now, draw 
a line around the entire room two feet from the wall. On 
this line at intervals of four feet place 2x3-in.x9-ft. stud- 
ding. Ceil both sides of the studding with lx4-in. ceiling. 
Put in two ventilator windows, 2x2-ft., 5-in., in each side 
directly opposite the outer windows and close them with 



doors made of matched ceiling. Hang these ventilators 
with 4-inch strap hinges at the lower edge. To open 
them, tip them back from the top by means of a cord. 

"The door is in the north end and leads into an air 
space (A) two feet in width, extending around the inner 
room (D), which is entered through the door (F), which 
is directly opposite the outer door. The inner room (D) 
contains six 250-egg incubators (EEE). CC are the win- 
dows in the outer wall and are directly opposite and at the 
same height as the ventilator windows (BBB) in the 
inner double wall. 

"We regard this incubator house a success, securing 
as it does an even temperature and purest air, both of 
which are indispensable in the hatching of chicks or tur- 
keys by artificial methods." 

It will be noticed that this house is described as be- 
ing, 16 by 20 feet, though in the floor plan the width is in- 
dicated as 18 feet, which no doubt is an oversight, as the 
proportions correspond to the printed descriptions. In 
the bill of materials the amount of flooring, ceiling, etc., 
as specified, represents only the surface to be 
covered, and about one-fourth should be added 
to the estimates to cover matching and other 
shrinkage. 

The original house built as here described was 
found to be too warm when all the incubators 
were running and it is necessary to keep the 
windows open most of the time. It also was nec- 
essary to install a King ventilating system (see 
page 23) to carry ofif the lamp fumes and ke»9 
the air fresh and pure. With this change the 
house gives good satisfaction and certain.'y is 
more convenient than a cellar. 

In considering this plan it should be remem- 
bered that the climate of Western Washington 
is comparatively mild and less provision need be 
made for warmth than will be found necessary in 
many sections of the country. The plan of hav- 
ing the entrance door on the north side is de- 
sirable in warm climates, but where severe win- 
ters are the rule it will be better to have it on 
the south side. Under such conditions also, 
building the house with a single board floor will 
not be satisfactory. If a board floor is used at 
all, it should be doubled, with heavy insulating 
material between top floor and sub-floor, and the space 
between floor and ground should be tightly enclosed by 
banking up around the building with earth. A concrete 
floor will be much better for use in cold climates, and 
probably will be no more expensive. 

MAMMOTH INCUBATOR HOUSES 

Houses for "Mammoths" Should Be Planned Expressly 

for the Type of Machine That is to Be 

Installed in Them. 

Sectional, hot water heated incubators, commonly 
called "mammoths", have come into extensive use in all 
parts of the country in recent years. These machines 
make it possible to reduce the labor cost of operating incu- 
bators, which is a serious item where tens and even hun- 
dreds of thousands of eggs are incubated at one time. 
Small-sized mammoths, that is, machines consisting of 
only a few sections, may be successfully installed in any 
large cellar, and where the method of construction or 
heating permits, the sections may be carried around 
corners or arranged in two or more rows, facing each 
other, or back to back, thus making it possible to install 
such machines when the cellar is not long enough to take 
all the sections in one straight line. 



80 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



building a new incubator house a 
good way is to provide for these 
flues in the concrete wall, which 
makes them indestructible. 

Fig. 106 shows the floor plan as 
designed for ten machines and Fig. 
157 a floor plan with workroom in 
front. With the latter all lamp fill- 
ing and trimming can be done out- 
side of the hatching chamber, where 
convenient facilities may be pro- 
vided for doing the work. This work- 
room is used for testing eggs, also 
for storing hatching eggs where they 
can be held under the best possible 
conditions while awaiting their turn 
to be placed in the machine. The oil 
supply is to be piped from an out- 
side storage tank or barrel, which 
may be buried, or supported above 

the ground on a suitable stand. Where a drain pipe can be 
installed, the floor should slope to a trap conveniently 
located, so that it can be flushed or scrubbed at will. 

Figs. 154 and 155 show front and side elevations. If 
the workroom suggested in Fig. 157 is not wanted it is 



venti/ation /s"'-2'/" 




TIG. 157— FLOOR PLAN OF INCUBATOR HOUSE WITH WORKROOM 



BILL, OP M-VTERIALS FOR INCUBATOR HOUSE 



Us 



Size 



No. of 



Remarks 




BOO ft. 
326 ft. 
700 ft 

100 lin. 

70 lin. 
IBO lin. 
100 lin. 



board measure, 
board measure, 
board measure. 

Surfaced 4 sides 

Surfaced 4 sides 
Surfaced 4 sides 
Surfaced 4 sides 



PIG. 155— FRONT ELEVATION OF INCUBATOR HOUSE 

advisable to enclose the steps so as to provide a vesti- 
bule, which will assist materially in maintaining a uni- 
form temperature. 

The following bill of materials is for a house to be 
built without workroom. If this is to be provided, suffi- 
cient extra material must be added. 




FIG. 156— FLOOR PLAN OP INCUBATOR HOUSE FOR TEN MACHINES 



Inches 

Sills, side 2x6 

Sills, end 2x6 

Plates, side 2x6 

Plate.'!, end 2x6 

Studs, front & back 2x6 

Studs, ends 2x6 

Rafters 2x6 

Ties - - 1x6 

Ridge pole 1x7 

Roof boards 1x10 

T & G siding %x6 

Ceiling -%x4 

Frame for doors 

and windows %x6 

Frame for burlap 

shutter %x2 

Trim lumber %x4 

Barge boards %x8 

5M. shingles. 

1 door. 2 feet 9 inches x 7 feet. 
6 sashes, 6-light 12xl2-inch glass. 

6 metal sash adjusters. 
36 sq. ft. burlap. 
6 bolts %xl2-inch with 2-lnch washers. 
1 pr. 5-inch butt hinges. 
12 pr. 2-inch butt hinges for windows and screens. 
1 metal ventilator slide 5 inches x 2 feet 3 inches. 
1 door lock. 

4 8-inch ventilator flues with dampers, cords and pullets 
complete. 
Nails, tacks and paint. 

MATERIAL FOR FOUNDATION AND FLOOR 
70 bags of Portland cement. 
162 cu. ft. of sand. 
325 cu. ft. of crushed stone or gravel. 

A SMALL INCUBATOR HOUSE 

Where there are practical objections to building the 
incubator house partially underground, as suggested in 
the preceding plan, it may be built 
entirely above ground and, if proper- 
ly designed, will give excellent ser- 
vice. Such a house has been in suc- 
cessful use at the Western Washing- 
ton Experiment Station for several 
years. This house can be built at 
comparatively slight cost where cheap 
lumber is available, and is large 
enough to meet the requirements of 
farmers and small producers general- 
ly. It can be located wherever con- 
venient and requires no excavation. 
The following description is con- 
densed from Bulletin No. 4 of the 
\\'estern Washington Station: 

"This incubator house, a floor plan 
of which is illustrated in Fig. 158, 
is 16 feet wide, 20 feet long, and 9 
feet to the eaves, finished with No. 1 
rustic, with one-third slope, and has 



PRACTICAL INCUBATOR HOUSES 



81 



a sWngled roof. The door is in the north end. There 
are two windows in each side. The south end of the 
building is built solid, with the exception of the small 
ventilator in the end near the peak, as seen in the north 
end above the door and just below the peak. The house 
was painted red and trimmed in white, giving it a neat 
appearance. 

"To construct an incubator house like the one illus- 
trated in Fig. 158, the following bill of lumber is required: 

3 pieces 4x4-inch. 20 feet long, for sills. 
2 pieces. 2x4-inch, 20 feet long for plates. 

11 pieces 2x4-inch, 16 feet long for floor joists. 

30 pieces 2x4-inch, 9 feet long for studding. 

11 pieces 2x4-inch, 16 feet long for ceiling joists. 

22 pieces 2x4-inch, 12 feet long for rafters. 
750 board feet of matched siding. 

600 board feet of lx6-inch sheathing (also used for corner 
boards and other finish lumber.) 

4 M cedar shingles. 
320 board feet of matched flooring. 
320 board feet of matched ceiling. 

1 door 2 ft. 8 in. x 6 ft. 8 in. 

4 window sashes 12xl6-inch, 4-light. 
To construct the inner hatching room: 

22 pieces 2x3-inch, 9 feet long. 
1200 board feet of matched ceiling. 

1 door 2 ft. 8 in. x 6 ft. 8 in. 



doors made of matched ceiling. Hang these ventilators 
with 4-inch strap hinges at the lower edge. To open 
them, tip them back from the top by means of a cord. 

"The door is in the north end and leads into an air 
space (A) two feet in width, extending around the inner 
room (D), which is entered through the door (F), which 
is directly opposite the outer door. The inner room (D) 
contains six 2S0-egg incubators (FEE). CC are the win- 
dows in the outer wall and are directly opposite and at the 
same height as the ventilator windows (BBB) in the 
inner double wall. 

"We regard this incubator house a success, securing 
as it does an even temperature and purest air, both of 
which are indispensable in the hatching of chicks or tur- 
keys by artificial methods." 

It will be noticed that this house is described as be- 
ing, 16 by 20 feet, though in the floor plan the width is in- 
dicated as 18 feet, which no doubt is an oversight, as the 
proportions correspond to the printed descriptions. In 
the bill of materials the amount of flooring, ceiling, etc., 
as specified, represents only the surface to be 
covered, and about one-fourth should be added 
to the estimates to cover matching and other 
shrinkage. 

The original house built as here described was 
found to be too warm when all the incubators 
were running and it is necessary to keep the 
windows open most of the time. It also was nec- 
essary to install a King ventilating system (see 
page 23) to carry of? the lamp fumes and ke** 
the air fresh and pure. With this change the 
house gives good satisfaction and certair..!y is 
more convenient than a cellar. 

In considering this plan it should be remem- 
bered that the climate of Western Washington 
is comparatively mild and less provision need be 
made for warmth than will be found necessary in 
many sections of the country. The plan of hav- 
ing the entrance door on the north side is de- 
sirable in warm climates, but where severe win- 
ters are the rule it will be better to have it on 

'■.( iO' - — — ^the south side. Under such conditions also, 

building the house with a single board floor will 




a.., E 



FIO 158— FLOOR PLAN OF ABOVE-GROUND INCUBATOR HOUSE - tt ,. j n • A ^ 

West. Washington Exp. Station. not be satisfactory. If a board floor is usea at 

all it should be doubled, with heavy insulating 



Reproduced from Bui. 



"The building is constructed on the ground, with a 
wooden floor (concrete is recommended), and stands on 
cedar blocks resting on flat rocks projecting above the 
surface of the ground. The three pieces, 4x4-in.x20-ft., 
provided in the bill of materials, are used as sills, one on 
either side and one in the middle.' ETTeven pieces, 2x4-in. 
by 16-ft., are nailed to the sills on their edges, two feet 
apart, and covered with lx6-in. tongue-and-groove floor- 
ing. For studding for the outer walls use 2x4-in.x9-ft., set 
two feet apart center to center. For plates use 2x4-in. by 
20-ft. For ceiling joist use 11 pieces 2.K4-in.xl6-ft., and for 
rafters, 22 pieces 2x4-in.xl2-ft. Ceil with lx4-in. tongue- 
and-groove ceiling. Enclose the building with IxlO-inch 



material between top floor and sub-floor, and the space 
between floor and ground should be tightly enclosed by 
banking up around the building with earth. A concrete 
floor will be much better for use in cold climates, and 
probably will be no more expensive. 

MAMMOTH INCUBATOR HOUSES 

Houses for "Mammoths" Should Be Planned Expressly 

for the Type of Machine That is to Be 

Installed in Them. 

Sectional, hot water heated incubators, commonly 
called "mammoths", have come into extensive use in all 
parts of the country in recent years. These machines 



shiplap. Cover the rafters with lx6-in. sheathing laid two make it possible to reduce the labor cost of operating incu- 



inches apart, and shingle. Put in on either side two 3x3- 
ft. windows, placed five feet above the floor. Build the 
frames for the windows to admit opening them by slid- 
ing. These windows cannot be hung on hinges, since the 
inner room would interfere in opening them. Now, draw 
a line around the entire room two feet from the wall. On 
this line at intervals of four feet place 2x3-in.x9-ft. stud- 
ding. Ceil both sides of the studding with lx4-in. ceiling. 
Put in two ventilator windows, 2x2-ft., S-in., in each side 
directly opposite the outer windows and close them with 



bators, which is a serious item where tens and even hun- 
dreds of thousands of eggs are incubated at one time. 
Small-sized mammoths, that is, machines consisting of 
only a few sections, may be successfully installed in any 
large cellar, and where the method of construction or 
heating permits, the sections may be carried around 
corners or arranged in two or more rows, facing each 
other, or back to back, thus making it possible to install 
such machines when the cellar is not long enough to take 
all the sections in one straight line. 



82 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 
76^«'" 




f==i . t=l . '==1 



N 



Brooder Box Si^Wide,18" Hi(^h, 12^ Long 



Passagewai/ 



FIG. 159 — FLOOR PLAN OF BROODER ROOM IN COMBINATION INCUBATOR AND BROODEIi HOUSE 



As the manufacturers of the various mammoths on the 
market usually supply incubator house plans free of charge 
to their customers, it is not necessary to show detailed 
drawings here. However, the requirements of mammoth 
incubators generally do not vary in any essential respect 
from lamp-heated machines. The house illustrated in 
Figs. 153 to 156, with its dimensions modified to adapt it 
to the kind and size of incubators to be installed, will 
prove just as satisfactory for mammoths as for small 
machines. There is no better means of ventilating any 
incubator cellar than by providing a suitable number of 
ventilating flues, installed as shown in Fig. 153. By 
means of these, fresh air is discharged into the room at 
the floor level and the foul air is discharged through ad- 
justable window openings near the ceiling. 

As most of the work of filling sections, testing eggs, 
etc., usually is done right in front of the machine, it is 
especially convenient to have good, wide passageways so 
there will be no interference with the work._ A large 
work table on small rubber-tired wheels will prove a great 
time and labor saver. It also is desirable to have a room 
at the front of the building where eggs for hatching can 
be stored; also various articles of equipment that will be 
needed in the regular daily care of the machine. This 
should be partitioned off from the hatching room proper, 
so that the temperature can be legulated as desired. 




-COMBINATION INCUBATOR AND BROODER HOUSE 
Photo from R. H. Loveland. 



COMBINATION INCUBATOR AND BROODER 

HOUSE 

A Good Way to Build Where Chicks Are Raised in 

Large NunrJjers. 

The combination of incubator cellar and brooder 
house is one that is popular with many, as it brings all 
the hatching and brooding work under one roof. The 
house shown in Fig, 160 is of this type. It is in regular use 
on the Fishing Creek Poultry Farm (Penna.), of which 
R. H. Loveland is pioprietor. This house is 25x76 feet, 
the basement is substantially constructed, with concrete 
walls, and extends sufficiently above the ground level so 
that it is well lighted and ventilated. The cellar is en- 
tered through an enclosed vestibule and contains three 
10,000 egg machines (one single and two double-decked). 
The upper part of the house is used as a nursery for 
chicks, where they have comfortable, convenient quarters 
and where they remain until they are sold or have passed 
the danger point, when they are placed out on range. 

The brooder room is equipped with a water-boiler, 
the heating system consisting of six l;4-'"ch overhead 
hover pipes running the entire length of the house. These 
are enclosed in a brooding-box 18 inches high and 35^ feet 
wide, with a curtain along the front, or the side next to 
the runs. The flow pipes are next to the passageway and 
the return pipes next to the hover curtain, which gives a 
range of about 10 degrees under the 
hover, enabling the chicks to find 
just the temperature that suits them. 
The heat is maintained at about 100 
degrees in the warmest part under 
the hover, for newly hatched chicks, 
but close to the curtain it is not more 
than 85 to 90. The floor plan of this 
brooding room is shown in Fig. 159, 
from which it will be seen that the 
house pens are 6x17^2 feet, affording 
room for 300 chicks in each, though 
400 may be accommodated when nec- 
essary. The chicks are kept in this 
brooder room about three weeks, 
after which they are moved to colony 
houses, so that they can get out on 
the ground. .\i this building is lo- 
cated it is not possible to have out- 
door runs attached to it. 

In many respects this is an ideal 
way in which to handle chicks in large 
numbers, for the first three or four 
weeks of their lives. 



CHAPTERIX 

Administration and Other Special Buildings 

Large Poultry Plants Need Various Special Purpose Buildings for Handling the Work Efficiently — This Chapter Illus- 
trates and Describes a Complete Administration Building With Fattening Shed; Also, Cockerel and Condi- 
tioning House, Fattening Crates and Batteries, Manure Shed, Etc. — Instructions for Equip- 
ping the Feed House With Labor-Saving Conveniences. 



X poultry farms of small size it generally will be 
found more economical, and more convenient as 
wBTHi well, to provide suitable storage room for feed, 
=»a>3B equipment, etc., in the barn, as suggested on page 
9. On large plants, however, it is desirable to have 
a special house for this purpose, usually building it in 
connection with laying pens, or as a part of a general ad- 
ministration building, such as is illustrated and described 
elsewhere in this chapter. Wherever the feed room is 
built, it should be suitably provided with labor-saving 
appliances, convenient feed bins, etc. 

Combination Laying and Feed House 

The combination laying and feed house shown in 
Fig. 161 has been in successful use at the West Virginia 
Experiment Station for several years, and has a number 
of features that adapt it to general use. The feed house 
is placed in the center of a six-pen laying house. It is 
somewhat wider than the latter, and is one and a half 
stories in height, with a high gable which provides a lib- 
eral amount of storage room on the second floor. Grain, 
litter, and similar materials are . hoisted to the second 
floor by means of rope and pulley. 

The first floor of the feed house generally can be 
used to best advantage for the stoiing of heavy grains, 
such as shelled corn and wheat, and bone cutters, feed 
mills, cooking appliances, feed mixers, etc., will be in- 
stalled here, if any are used. Lighter materials, such as 
ground feeds, baled litter, etc., may be stored above. A 
convenient plan is to have bins for ground grains on the 
second floor, these bins being provided with chutes which 
conduct the contents to the lower floor where they may 
be drawn off as wanted. Where a feed house is built, it 
is always desirable to provide a cellar underneath for 
storing roots, cabbage, or other green foods for winter 
use, or for sprouting oats. Such a cellar will be found 
almost as great a convenience as the house itself. An 
outside door should be provided for convenience in filling 
the cellar, and an inside stairway for ordinary use. 

Equipment for the Feed House 

Various articles of equipment may be used in the feed 
house and, as a rule, it pays to provide whatever will save 
time or labor. As the requirements of poultry keepers 



\ary widely in respect to these, and as such equipment 
usually is purchased piece by piece as the need for it be- 
comes apparent, it is not practicable to furnish an item- 
ized list of needed appliances, further than to mention the 
few that should be in every feed house, large or small. 

For mixing quantities of feed on the floor of the 
house, nothing is better than a medium-sized scoop 
shovel. For small quantities of mash, wet or dry, a mix- 
ing box should be provided. This should be made of 
hard, closely-grained wood that will not readily absorb 
moisture. The boards for the floor of the box should be 
selected with care, choosing those that are edge-grained 
rather than flat-grained, as the latter are apt to become 
splintered and rough after they have been in use for a 
short time. This mixing box should be about two feet 
wide and should have straight sides twelve inches high, 
with the ends sets sloping. It is not easy to mix feed 
in boxes with square ends. For mixing wet mashes a 
large garden hoe and an ordinary dirt shovel or a spade 
will be found serviceable. One or more galvanized 
bushel baskets and a few 12 to 16-inch galvanized pails 
are needed on every poultry plant. 

Where corn is bought on the ear, it usually is desir- 
able to have a corn sheller, and where fresh meat or 
butchers' scraps can be secured to good advantage, a bone 
cutter becomes a necessity. There are few cases in 
which the poultryman can crack and grind his feeds as 
cheaply as he can buy them at the feed mill or store, but 
a small mill for preparing special feeds often proves a 
convenience and a time-saver. In all cases where home 
mixtures are prepared, or where feed is ground at local 
mills, some means of sifting should be provided. The 
use of unsifted cracked grain, in particular, is a wasteful 
practice. 

There are a variety of uses to which a good feed 
cooker can be put. such as cooking vegetables, steaming 
clover, etc.; also for providing hot water to meet the 
numerous requirements of the average poultry plant in 
wintertime. While somewhat more expensive than the 
ordinary sheet-metal feed cooker, a small boiler that will 
furnish steam for cooking, heating water, etc., will be 
found much more convenient in the long run. 

Plenty of well-constructed bins should be provided in 




FIG. 161— COMBIN'.VTION FEED .AND l.,\YI.\(; He JlJSB AT WEST VIRGINIA EXPERIMENT ST.-V.TIOX 



84 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




FIG. 162 — CONVENIENT BINS IN FEED HOUSE 
Above illustration shows a convenient arrangement 
of feed bins, which in this case are built with a 6-inch 
space between bins and floor and walls, to allow cir- 
culation of air. Illustration shows two bins with the 
fronts down for filling and two with receiving boxes in 
place, ready for shovelling out feed. 

the feed house, and these should be large enough to meet 
all probable requirements without carrying the sides too 
high. It should not be necessary to have to lift grain 
bags more than shoulder high in order to empty them. 

The plan of having bins for ground grains on the sec- 
ond floor, with chutes to conduct contents to the feed- 
mixing room on the ground floor, has already been sug- 
gested. Wherever the bins are located, they should be 



made thoroughly tight on all sides, using well-sealoned 
T. & G. boards. Lumber should be used that is not liable 
to split, as it is necessary to use large-sized nails and a 
good many of them to make these partitions strong 
enough to withstand the heavy pressure to which they 
will be subjected. Bin fronts should consist of loose 
boards sliding in a groove so that they can readily be re- 
moved and replaced for ease in filling and emptying. The 
bottom board in the front should have a sliding door 
large enough to admit a scoop shovel. It is easier to 
shovel from the bottom of the bin than to lift the feed 
out over a high partition. See that the boards forming 
the floor of the bin run from front to back, instea"d of 
from side to side, for convenience in shoveling. 

Another way of arranging feed bins is shown in Fig. 
162. Here the bins are built independently of the house, 
with a 6-inch air space between floors and walls to pro- 
tect contents from dampness. The bins can be filled from 
the top, which is hinged, and the fronts also are made 
with an upper hinged section to be let down for greater 
ease in filling. A receiving box is provided so that when 
door at bottom of bin is opened the contents will not 
run out on the floor. This box is so made that it can be 
pushed back under the bin floor, out of the way, when 
not needed. 

It is always desirable to make the feed room of am- 
ple dimensions, as it frequently is necessary to spread 
new grain or damp feed of any kind loosely on the floor, 
rather than to put it in bins where it will quickly heat 
and mold. This is particularly true in the case of corn 
meal and new shelled or cracked corn, which can seldom 
he placed in large bins with safety. For storing ear corn 
in the fall it is desirable to have a ventilated crib of slats 
or wire screen so that air can circulate through it. If it 
is to be stored in a feed house or a limited supply kept 
for immediate use in the poultry house, the sides of the 
bin should be made of wire screen or 1-inch mesh poultry 
netting, rather than of tight boards. 

ADMINISTRATION BUILDING FOR LARGE 
PLANTS 
Large Plants Need a House Like This One Where Much 
of the Daily Work Can Be Performed Under 
One Roof. 
The house plans illustrated and described in the pre- 
ceding pages, cover all practical requirements of the aver- 
age poultry plant, large or small, as regards accommoda- 




FIG. 163— FIRST FLOOR PLAN IN ADMINISTRATION BUILDING 



ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER SPECIAL BUILDINGS 



85 



tions for brooder chicks, laying 
flocks, breeding pens, etc. There are 
few large poultry farms, however, 
that do not require a large, central- 
ly located house where feeds and 
miscellaneous supplies can be stored 
and in or about which can conveni- 
ently be grouped facilities that are 
necessary for efficiently administer- 
ing the work of the farm. Generally 
such a building should be planned on 
a sufficiently large scale to provide 
ample storage on the ground floor, 
with a room for killing and dressing 
taljle fowls. A basement will afford 
room for incubators at much less 
cost than the construction of a sepa- 
rate building for this special purpose. 
.\ second floor will provide comfort- 
able quarters for one or more of the 
men employed on the place, and an 
extension may be added on one side 
for a long brooder house to be 
equipped with lamp-heated hovers, 
colony hovers or a hot-water pipe 
brooding system. On the other side 
an extension for crate feeding table 
fowls will be found most convenient 
when these are to be produced in 
considerable numbers. 

Such an administration house is 
illustrated and described on this and 

following pages. It is large enough to meet the require- 
ments of quite an extensive farm and needs only to be 
reduced proportionately all round to adapt it to a much 
smaller place. Any competent carpenter will be able 



L/\lDDFI1 All -^[1.' 
SELOW GFiAOE : 

S' 




FIG. 164— CELL.\R FLOOR PLAN IN ADMINISTRATION BUILDING 

readily to make the needed changes and adapt the bill 
of materials to lesser proportions. 

Fig. 164 gives the floor plan of the incubator cellar 
which is large enough to accommodate 20 to 30 large- 
sized lamp-heated incubators, or two mammoths if they 
are preferred. Where extra-large hatching capacity is 
required, the cellar can be extended under the fattening 
room, thus doubling its size. The ventilation of this cellar 
is not indicated in drawing but the plan shown on page 
79 should be followed. Build the intake flues into the 
ooncrece or st^ne foundation wall, however, thus mak- 
ing them practically indestructible. Where there is no 
sewerage system available it will be necessary to provide 
a cesspool or septic tank outside the building to take 
the waste from the killing room, men's toilet, etc., and 




FIG.165— .SIDE ELEVATION OF ADMINISTRATION BUILDING FOR LARGE POULTRY FARM 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



number of fowls are to be fed, the 
noise which they make when all the 
birds are feeding at one time is often 
considered objectionable as it is lia- 
ble to cause disturbance among the 
fowls. 

Fattening crates do not have to be 
located in a house but may be kept 
in any sort of shed or, in mild *0 
weather, may be placed outdoors in \£) 
the shade in any convenient, quiet 
spot. It is only necessary to throw 
a couple of boards or a strip of roof- 
ing over the top to keep the rain out, 
in order to make the birds comfort- 
able. 

Where fowls are to be fattened in 
large numbers the use of portable 
feeding batteries, which can be 
bought ready-made, is recommended. 
A battery consists of 8 to 16 separ- 
ate compartments, each holding sev- 
eral fowls. They usually are made 
with woven-wire floors and with 
droppings pans under each compart- 
ment, so arranged that they may be 
removed easily for cleaning. Each 
battery rests on castors or small 
wheels, by means of which it may 
readily be moved wherever wanted. 

The battery shown in Fig. 170 has a double tier of 
coops containing 16 compartments in all. and is capable of 
accommodating in the neighborhood of 100 fowls — mere 
than that number if small, and less if full grown. The 
feeding troughs with this battery are of galvanized iron 
and the floors are of wire, which offers no chance for the 
droppings to stick to the feet of the fowls. The drop- 
pings trays are of wood. 



A COCKEREL HOUSE 
A House for Surplus Cockerels and for Wintering Breed- 
ing Males. Convenient Conditioning Room, 
For Fitting Exhibition Fowls. 

Where fowls are bred in large numbers, there is 
always need for a building in wliich the surplus males 

may be kept when 
not wanted in the 
breeding pens, 
where exhibition 
Ijirds may be fitted 
a n d trained, and 
« here fowls of any 
^(irt may be cooped 
nulividually when it 
IS desirable to do 
~() Plans for such 
a house are shown 
m Figs. 176 and 
177. This house is 
1.K60 feet in the 
i-le.ir and provides 
room for 120 indi- 
Mdual coops, each 
1 foot, 8 inches by 
3 feet, and 2 feet 2 
.■.ohes high. Coops 
—INTERIOR OF COCK- °^ ^^'S size afford 
EREL HOUSE ample room for sin- 




CROSS SECTION OP FATTENING SHED IN ADMINISTRA- 
TION BUILDING 




gle individuals, or for two or three small or medium sized 
birds for a short time, if they get along peaceably to- 
gether. In addition to the coops there is a conditioning 
room at one end of the building and room at each' end of 
the cooping room for storage of food, litter, etc. 

Fig. 176 shows the floor plan of the building. The 
provision for 17 2-sash windows may seem excessive but 
it must be remembered that much more window surface is 
required to light numerous small pens than would be 
needed for one large open room. 

Pen floors and partitions are to be of tongue-and- 
groove ceiling boards nailed to ^•^x2-in. strips as shown in 
cross section. The pen fronts are to be of a good grade 
of wire fencing with the upright wires spaced about two 
inches apart and the joints welded or fastened with wire 
locks so that there will be no sharp wire ends to injure 
combs or cut neck feathers. The pen doors are of the 
same material and arranged as in Fig. 175, which makes 
their construction quite simple. Fig. 173 is from a photo- 
graph of a house built in accordance with this plan but 
considerably larger 
than the one shown 
in the drawing. In 
cold climates this 
house should be 
built with double 
walls, the inside 
wall being of 
tongue - and -groove 
ceiling and warmly 
constructed through- 
out. In most in- 
stances a concrete 
floor should be pro- 
vided, but the lower 
pens should have 
board floors, laid on 

1-inch furring to ^^^ 175-PBN FRONT IX COCK- 
make an air space erei. house 



'. '. i 
















































































































































Y\ 


If- 


£ 







'J 
















IV 


,R 


E 


^ 


?< 


/V 


- 






Z'/i"Fdcirrg- A/I /ii-ochd. ■_ ■_ "£ 



ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER SPECIAL BUILDINGS 



89 




FIG. 176 — FLOOR PLAN 
between concrete and pen floors. The following is the 
bill of materials required for this cockerel house. 

BILL, OF MATERIALS FOR COCKEREL HOUSE 

ITse S'^'= Length No. of Ri-marks 

^'* Inches Feet Pieces Kemarts 

Sills, sides 2x4 10 12 

Sills, ends 2x4 14 2 

Plates 2x4 10 12 

Stuas, front 2x4 10 34 

Studs, rear 2x4 12 17 1 piece cuts 2. 

Studs, ends & misc.. 2x4 10 45 Cut to fit. 

Rafters 2x6 16 30 

Window and door 

sills 2x6 10 6 

Roof boards 1x10 1100 ft. bd. meas. Surfaced. 

T & G siding %x6 1500 ft. bd. meas 

Ceiling- ^ %x4 3500 ft. bd. meas. 

Flooring for pens, 

doors, etc %x4 1200 ft. bd. meas. 

Furring for floors 

of bottom pens.. '78x2 275 lin. ft. Surfaced. 

Ceiling boards for 

parts 78X4 1600 ft. bd. meas. 

Door and window 

frames %x5 300 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides. 

Strips base of 

windows %x4 75 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides. 

Weather strips %x% 100 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides. 

Trim boards for 

partition fronts.. %x2V4 600 lin. ft. Surfaced 4 sides. 
12 squares prepared roofing. 
12 squares sheathing paper. 

17 2-sash windows, 12-light, 10xl2-inch glass. 
420 sq. ft. heavy wire fencing, for pen fronts. 
12 anchor bolts, y2xl2-inch, with 2-inch washers. 
3 pr. 8-inch T-strap hinges. 
2 hasps. 
17 pr. 2-inch butt hinges for top sash. 
Plumbing for washing room. 
Nails, double-pointed tacks and paint. 

MATERI-\LS FOR FOUNDATION AND FLOOR 

90 bags Portland cement. 
200 cu. ft. of sand. 

350 cu. ft. crushed stone or gravel. 
200 cu. ft. crushed stone or gravel for filling. 



S9'i'- 



OF COCKEREL HOUSE 

A DRYING COOP 

Will Pay for Itself in a Season if Many Fowls Are to 

Be Fitted for Exhibition. Can Be Equipped 

for Oil Heater. 

The specially constructed drying coop shown in Fig. 

178 is a most convenient piece of equipment for the con- 








»: iioncre.fe. Floof 

-CROSS SECTION OF COCKEREL 



FIG. 178 — DRYING COOP USED IN FITTING FOWLS 
FOR SHOW ROOM 

ditioning house. The size will be regulated by the num- 
ber of fowls that are to be handled, but the one here 
shown in about three feet wide, 
three feet deep and five fo six feet 
long. As will be seen, it is warmed by 
means of hot water pipes in the bot- 
tom, the heat being supplied by a 
small gas burner. Perches are pro- 
vided on which the fowls perch while 
drying and underneath are trays for 
the droppings. With the front cur- 
tains down the temperature can be 
(]uickly raised to any desired point 
and held there quite uniformly by oc- 
casionally consulting the thermome- 
ter suspended in the chamber. Mak- 
ing use of a drying closet like this 
will be found much better than the 
laliorious method of fanning, and 
better too than placing the birds in 
an open coop in a warm room and 
leaving them there to dry out slowly. 
When gas is not available .for use it 
will not be difficult to adapt a good 
blue flame oil burner to the purpose. 



90 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



CONCRETE MANURE SHED 

Save the Droppings and Make Them a Source of 

Added Profit. 

By UR. KAYMO.VD PEARL* 

One of the most valuable by-products of any live- 
stock industry is the manure. Its proper care and use is 
one of the distinguishing features of a successful stock 
farm. The high nitrogen content of poultry droppings 
makes them in certain respects the most valuable of farm 
manure. At the same time this quality necessitates special 
treatment to preserve the nitrogen and utilize it econom- 
ically. 

This Station (Maine) recently built at its poultry 
plant a manure shed large enough to accommodate the 
droppings from one thousand adult birds over a period of 
a year; also the droppings collected from the range where 
three thousand chicks are annually reared. The inside 
measurements of this shed are 7x12 feet. It is 5 feet high 




FIG. 179— CONCRETE MANURE SHED 
Photo from Maine E.xp. Station. 

at the eaves and 8 feet 2 inches to the peak of the roof. 
See Fig. 179. The foundation is a solid block of cement 
and rock smoothed off at the ground level to form the 
floor. At the edges of the foundation the cement is con- 
tinued up into the wall forms which were built so that 
the walls are 10 inches thick at the base and six at the 
top. The droppings are thrown into the shed through 
trap doors in the roof, and taken out from one end. which 
is of removable plank. The cement wall in the plank end 
is continued far enough from either corner to provide a 
place for the slot into which the planks are slipped. This 
slot is a groove two inches deep and a little more than 
two inches wide, and is formed by placing an angle iron 
post within the board forms. 

The gables are of boards. The gable at the open or 
plank end of the shed is removable, to give more head 
room when shoveling the manure into carts. It is held 
in place with hooks. The roof is secured to the walls by 
bolts and rings, as shown in Fig. 179. The plates and 
rafters are of 2x4 timbers. Inch boards were used for 



roof boards and gables. The roof is covered with roofing 
paper. In one side of the roof are two trap doors also 
covered with this roofing. Each of these doors is 2 feet 
4 inches by 2 feet 10 inches and fits over a frame in the 
roof, to which it is hinged at the top. The end of a lath 
is attached by a double screweye to the inside of each 
door at the right edge, about half way from bottom to 
top. The edge of this lath is provided with notches 
which hook over a nail on the inside of the door frame. 
When hooked this lath holds the door open. A 2x4 
strip is nailed across the inside of each door frame a lit- 
tle more than half way from bottom to top. This serves 
as a rest for the basket when droppings are emptied into 
the shed. 

This shed is placed at the end of the line of poultry 
houses and the raised walk which extends along the en- 
tire front of the houses is continued past the shed and 
built on an incline, so that at the end of the shed it is 
only 1 foot 8 inches from the eaves. 

HOSPITAL FOR SICK FOWLS 

Every person who keeps large 
numbers of fowls needs a special iso- 
lated building where sick or injured 
birds can receive treatment. This 
hospital should be conveniently lo- 
cated, and properly equipped for the 
work. Do not make the mistake of 
selecting some old building for this 
use simply because it is worthless 
for any other purpose. It is imprac- 
tical to bother with hospital cases at 
all, unless a convenient building is 
provided in which to do the work, 
and in which the fowls can be kept 
comfortable. 

Sick or injured fowls should never 
be penned together in flocks, but 
should have small individual coops 
similar to those shown in the cock- 
erel house described elsewhere in 
this chapter. An ideal fowl hospital 
can be provided by building a section 
of this cockerel bouse of suitable 
size. For small numbers the width 
can be reduced to about eight feet, 
with coops along the rear wall and 
across the ends, but always leave an operating room not 
less than five feet in width along the front, where there 
should be provided an operating table and a set of 
shelves stocked with suitable remedies, disinfectants, and 
such other materials as are needed in caring for the sick 
or injured fowls. For convenience in cleaning, the bottom 
bar of the coop front should be two or three inches above 
the floor so that all litter, droppings, etc., may be easily 
scraped into a suitable pan or trough on the outside. 
This opening should be closed by a narrow door to pre- 
vent the litter from being scratched out by the fowls. 

The hospital building should have a concrete floor and. 
in cold climates, should be double-walled and provided 
with some means of heating it. Sick fowls are not 
able to stand the degree of cold that healthy fowls find 
entirely comfortable, and if special treatment is to be 
given, the operator will find it much more satisfactory 
to be able to warm the house to a comfortable temper- 
ature. 



' Condensed from Maine Station Bulletin No. 216. 



CHAPTER X 

Interior Fixtures and Equipment 

Practically Everything Needed to Equip the Poultry House is Here Illustrated and Described — Partitions and How to 

Build Them— Location of Perches and Nests— Various Types of Nests for Layers— Trap Nests for the 

Breeding Pens— Feed Troughs and Hoppers, Water Vessels, Trolleys, Oat Sprouters, 

Advantages of Winter Illutnlnation— Coops for Broody Hens, Etc. 



ffi 



'ST of the poultry house plans given in this book 
are simple and plain almost to the point of bare- 
ness. This is not due to any failure to appre- 
ciate the importance of suitable fixtures and 
enuipnicnt, but because in plans intended for general use 
it is better to omit everything that is not clearly essen- 
tial and leave it to each individual to add, from time to 
time, such labor-saving features as his own experience 
and his particular needs indicate will be necessary or 
helpful. .About everything that is likely to be required 
in the way of fixtures and equipment, inside and out- 
side of the poultry house, will be found described and 
illustrated in the following pages, and it is a simple 
matter to adapt any of them for use in the house plans 
already presented. 

Simplicity in the poultry house is desirable, but sim- 
plicity may be overdone. It is well to recall, now and 
then, that the house and its facilities are provided as mucli 
for the crinvenience of the attendant as for the use of the 
fowls, and anything that will make the work of caring for 
the fowls easier should by all means be installed. Time 
and labor-saving equipment about the poultry plant is of 
the first importance, especially where fowls are kept in 
large numbers, and it is a serious mistake to fail to pro- 
vide anything that will save time or make the work lighter. 
For the most part, the equipment of the poultry house 
should be simply made, and easily removable for cleaning. 
This does not apply to such fixtures as partitions between 
pens or along alleyways, which are properly a part of the 
house and should be permanently constructed. As a rule, 
this also applies to the droppings platform and nest sup- 
ports. These can be made movable, but it is simpler and 
easier to fasten them in place. If the house becomes in- 
fested with lice and mites, it is, of course, desirable to be 
able to take everything out for thorough treatment, but 
there is no practical advantage in an arrangement which 
involves continual inconvenience because it would be de- 
sirable to be able to throw everything out of the house in 




the event of its sometime being overrun with mites — a 
condition that need never be encountered with reasonable 
care. It is better to determine to take the proper pre- 
ventive measures from the start, and if that is done there 
will never be any occasion for the unpleasant job of 
emptying the house out to fight lice and mites. 




Photo from U. S. Department of Agriculture 



FIG. 181— PEN FRONT IN HOUSE WITH PASSAGEWAY 

PASSAGEWAYS AND PARTITIONS 

When Passageways Should Be Used. Planning Them to 

Save Labor. Partitions That Protect 

the Fowls. 

Where passageways are provided it is possible to in- 
corporat-e a number of features that will aid greatly in 
the work of caring for the fowls. A practical plan for a 
passageway partition is shown in Fig. 181. This partition 
is nailed permanently to studs, the spacing of which will 
be determined, of course, by-the width of the pens. The 
baseboard should be at least six to eight inches in width 
and better if ten inches, as the fowls will scratch the litter 
out into the passageway and the feed trough if the board 
is too narrow. 

The feed trough is provided especially for use where 
a wet mash is fed, but it will be found convenient also for 
feeding kitchen scraps, green food, and various other arti- 
cles, and for that reason should be provided even though 
it is the intention to supply the mash dry in hoppers. The 
square frame next to the trough is to support the water 
vessel, which may be a bucket or crock. Place the vessel 
about as high as the fowls can well reach so as to keep 
the litter from being scratched into it. It is a good plan 
to provide a platform on the inside for the fowls to stand 
on, making it about a foot high and with the water 
vessel correspondingly raised. 

The upright pieces may be of two-inch strips surfaced 
and the edges rounded so that the fowls' neck feathers 
will not be worn off by rubbing against sharp corners. 
These slats should be about 22 to 24 inches long, if nailed 
on, as shown in the illustration. A neater way of fasten- 
ing them is to cut them the exact length of the space be- 
tween A and B (about 18 inches') and set them with the 
face of the strips flush with the front of A and B, toenail- 
ing them in place, or nailing to back-strips attached to the 



92 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



inside faces of A and B and extending beyond them about 
half an inch, thus providing supports for the top and bot- 
tom of the uprights. 

Above strip B is an eight-inch board which forms the 
door into the nests, by means of which the eggs may be 
gathered without entering the different pens. Strip D 
should be four inches wide and above it is another door 




FIG. 182 — DETAIL OF CONSTRUCTION OP DROP- 
PINGS' PLATFORM, PERCHES, AND NESTS 

opening flush with the top of the droppings platform so 
that the droppings may be scraped directly into a box or 
trough provided for the purpose and which can be wheeled 
readily from one pen to another. This door should be 
about 12 inches wide and is hinged to the four-inch strip 
(F) above. 

In the illustration the partition from this point to the 
top is wire netting, but it is a much better plan to make 
it of heavy muslin, or at least to provide a curtain of this 
material that can be used in cold weather to protect the 
fowls from drafts when on the perches. The door into 
the pen, which is indicated on the right, should be at least 
2;/2 feet wide, and should be constructed with a fram^ of 
four-inch lumber with wire netting to cover it. There 
should be an 8 to 12-inch baseboard, which should be 
made movable, supporting it by means of cleats, so that 
it can be taken out and the dirt on the pen floor swept 
out into the passage. 

PARTITIONS 

The style of partition shown in Fig. 64 will be found 
suited to the requirements of most persons. The base 
of the partition should always be at least two feet high 
;nd built tight to prevent the fowls from being distracted 
by whatever may be going on in the adjoining pens, and 
ulso to prevent floor drafts. Next to the rear wall the 
partition is carried up tight to the rafters and should ex- 
tend one or two feet beyond the front perch. This forms 
a sort of open closet for the perches, helping to keep the 
fowls warm on cold nights and screening them from direct 
air currents. The rest of the partition may be of two-inch 
netting carried up to the rafters. 

As a rule, the best place for the partition door is close 
to the front, so that the attendant may pass through from 



one pen to another with the least possible disturbance to 
the fowls. Partition doors should be wide — not less than 
2^j feet — wider is better — so that it will be possible to go 
through without crowding, or to use a wheelbarrow in 
cleaning out the pens. Use double-acting spring hinges, if 
possible, as they save time and trouble and the doors are 
sure to close. If spring doors are not used, attach 
weights to the doors so that they will stay shut without 
having to be fastened, or use the simple door fastener 
shown in Fig. 213 on page 101. 

DROPPINGS PLATFORMS AND NESTS 

Why Droppings Platforms Are Provided. How to Build 

Convenient Laying Nests. 

Droppings platforms should be located about lYz to 
3 feet above the pen floor, unless heavy fowls are to 
be kept, in which case they should not be over two feet. 
With the platform ly^ to 3 feet high there is room 
for nests under the platform, which is the most desirable 
place for them, as a rule. Platform boards should always 
run the short way of the platform, or in the direction in 
which the droppings are to be scraped out, which makes 
cleaning much easier. Use tongue-and-groove boards 
with a smooth surface, such as flooring boards, and re- 
member that the lumber will swell when the droppings be- 
gin to accumulate on them, for which reason the boards 
should not be driven up tight together, but left with room 
to expand. Platforms should always be built level, not 
sloping, and should extend fully a foot beyond the front 
perch. 

Platforms are provided in order to keep the droppings 
from mixing with the litter, also to make the floor space 
under the perches available for scratching purposes. They 
should be supported on 2x4 stringers, front and back, so 
that the platform will always hold its shape and remain 
level. One-inch lumber when used for this purpose will 
bend under the weight of the platform and must be sup- 
ported at frequent intervals. Numerous supports are a 
nuisance in cleaning the floor, however, and it is better 
to use 2x4 stringers, in which case the upright supports 
may be spaced at least eight feet apart. 

A Manure Pit for the Laying House 

In some instances droppings platforms are omitted 
and a 10-inch board is placed on edge on the pen floor, 
about a foot in /ront of the perches. The droppings are 
allowed to fall on the floor and accumulate there until it 
is convenient to remove them. By this plan it is possible 




-Z l J 



FIG. 1S3 — MANURE PIT TO TAKE THE PLACE OF 

DROPPINGS PLATFORM 

Reproduced from Ex. Bu!. 16, Clemson (S. C.) Agr. Col. 

to avoid the frequent cleaning that is necessary where 
platforms are used, and if earth or fine litter is sprinkled 
over the droppings often enough to keep them dry, they 
may be allowed to accumulate for a considerable time be- 
fore there will be anv noticeable odor. The following de- 



INTERIOR FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT 



93 



scription of a manure pit designed to take the place of 
the droppings platform, and to facilitate cleaning out the 
droppings, is given by Prof. F. C. Hare in Extension 
Bulletin 16, Clemson (S. C.) Agricultural College: 

"The dropboard under the roosts to prevent the ma- 
nure of the roosting fowls soiling the floor, answers the 
purpose for which it is designed, but it is unsightly. 
With small flocks, a frequent scraping of the dropboard 
will keep it presentable, but, unless large dropboards are 
cleaned daily, the accumulation of manure from a flock 
of several hundred hens becomes quite objectionable in 
even a few days. To remove the manure daily requires 
labor and time that frequently cannot be provided in busy 
seasons. 

"I have designed a manure pit from which the ma- 
nure can be hauled away in a wagon. It is unnecessary to 
remove the manure more often than once a month if the 
moisture is absorbed, and during this time the manure 
cannot be seen by anyone walking through the house. 
To absorb the moisture, the manure is covered every few 
days with an inch of dry earth or sand. This procedure 
is identical with that prescribed for making a compost 
bed for fertilizing the garden, so that the manure is being 
improved while it is being collected in sufficient quantity 
to warrant hauling it away. 

"The floor and 12 inches of the front and rear walls 
of the manure pit should be built of concrete. A good 
formula is: one part of cement, 2^ parts of clean, sharp 
sand, five parts of coarse gravel. The remaining, or up- 
per two feet of the front wall, is made of lumber. The 
roosts are fastened together in sections to slide forward 
out of the way, or the sections are hinged to the front 
wall of the pit and raised with a cord. The manure is 
removed through a door in the rear. In long houses a 
door for this purpose is put in every 20 feet. 

"A road should be made at the rear, or north side of 
the house, for the use of the horse and manure wagon. 
The manure and earth, collected in this way once a 
month, or when required, can be taken to the vegetable 
or flower garden and used at once. It is an excellent 
fertilizer. If you wish still further to improve it, sprinkle 
16 per cent of acid phosphate over the manure just be- 
fore you cover it with earth. The acid hastens the ripe- 
ning of the manure." See Fig. 183 for cross-section of 
house with manure pit as herein described. 

Perch Supports 

There are various methods of supporting the perches. 
Under most conditions it is desirable to have the roosts 
back as close as possible to the rear wall, in which case 



nn;::^n^n 








/?;.- 



'2X- 



,z/r 



-/4- 



■i'3- 



PIG. 1S4— S.ATISF-AiCTORY WALL NESTS 



PIG. 185 — FRONT ELEVATION OF WALL NESTS 

they may be supported over the platform, either as shown 
in Fig. 85, where metal lice-proof perch holders are used, 
or by means of a horizontal bar suitably notched, the bar 
being supported in front on a short leg or block and in the 
rear by a four-inch strap hinge, by means of which the 
perches may readily be raised when the platform is to be 
cleaned. If the perches are not too long the supporting 
bar can be attached directly to the sidewalls, but it 
is not desirable to have perches over 12 feet in length, un- 
less they are supported in the middle. Instead of hinges, 
the horizontal bars often are suspended from the rafters 
by a stout wire at each end. This arrangement makes it 
practically impossible for mites to pass back and forth 
from walls to percjies and nothing but the grossest neg- 
lect will permit mites to infest the house. 

Perches should be of 2x4 material if over six feet long, 
and should be surfaced, and the upper edges of the perches 
should always be rounded. Squace-cornered perches will 
cause corns, which may later develop into bumblefoot. 
The back perch should be 10 to 12 inches from the rear 
wall and the rest spaced 12 to 14 inches apart. Round 
poles with the bark off make good perches, but should be 
well seasoned before using, as they are much stiffer than 
green poles, which frequently bend so badly as to become 
quite uncomfortable for the fowls. 

Roosting Closets 

In severe climates roosting closets sometimes are a 
necessity in order to protect from injury the combs and 
wattles of valuable 



breeding fowls. Fig. 
186 shows a sim- 
ple way of provid- 

ng such a closet by 

nstalling a shutter 

n front of the per- 
ches, making it 
wide enough to 
reach from drop- 
pings platform to 
roof. The shutters 
should be made in sections, as here shown, when the plat- 
forms are more than 8 feet long. Do not use heavy ma- 
terial for covering the shutters, as it is not desirable to 
restrict air circulation more than is necessary to prevent 
frosted combs. .'\s a rule, burlap will prove sufficient for 
the purpose. 




186— ROOSTING CLOSET FOR 
LARGE COMBED FOWLS 



94 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



Platform Nests 

The platform nests shown in Fig. 182 are easily con- 
stiucted and will be found practical and convenient. The 
brackets and bottom boards are permanent while the rest 
may readily be removed for cleaning and disinfecting. The 
bottom board is two inches 
narrower than the nest par- 
titions, so that when these 
are in place there will be an 
inch space on each side of 
the bottom boards, which 
makes the nests self-clean- 
ing to some extent. Instead 
of placing the front platform 
stringer flat, as in the illus- 
tration, many prefer to make 
the platform two inches 
higher so that the stringer 
may be set on edge, making 
the platform more rigid. 
Nests should be made of 
light-weight material, such 
as white pine, for ease in 
handling, but do not use too 
thin boards. Three-quarter- 
inch or 13-16-inch stuff is as 
light as it is advisable to 
use. Nest boards should be 
surfaced on all sides. It is 
easier to keep them clean if smooth and it takes less 
time and less material to paint them with lice paint or 
disinfectants. Do not make the nests too long. .\ 
set of four or five nests is easier handled than when 
longer. For a set of platform nests the following material 
will be required. . 

BILL, OF M.ITERIALS FOR FIVE PLATFORM NESTS 

Door %x7 

Front (below door) %x6 

Nest bottom %xl2 

Back strip .'. %x4 

Top strip, front and back %x2 

Partitions %xll 

Running board %x6 

Bracket %x4 

1 pr. 4-inch T-strap liinges. 

1 wooden button. 

No allowance made for waste in 

Orange Box Nests 

Fig. 188 shows how ordinary orange boxes ma'y bo 
utilized as nests. Such nests are a trifle small for large 




-CROSS SECTION 
OF WALL NESTS 





nches 


6 


lin. 


feet 




nches 


6 




feet 


'/. 


nches 


6 


lin 


feet 




nches 


6 


lin. 


feet 




nches 


12 


lin. 


feet 


1 


nches 


7 


lin 


feet 




nches 


6 


lin 


feet 


inclies 


10 


lin. 


feet 


Cl 


ttins. 










188 — NESTS MADE FROM ORANGE BOXES 



hens, but for Leghorns they are quite satisfactory. If at- 
tached to the wall or partition by means of a couple of 
hooks and eyes, as shown in the illustration, they will re- 
quire no other support and can be taken out for cleaning 
with the slightest possible trouble. 



Wall Nests 
A good type of nest is shown in Figs. 185 and 187. The 
construction is easily understood from these illustrations. 
It will be noticed that the bottom board in front of each 
set of nests is hinged at the top so that it may be raised 
up and the nests conveniently cleaned without moving 
them. These boards are held in place by means of small 
screw hooks and eyes. Fig. 184 shows a set of 18 wall 
nests arranged in three tiers, but for ordinary use eight 
nests in two tiers are as many as it is advisable to build 
together. For such a set the following lumber is re- 
quired: 

BILL OF MATERIALS FOR EIGHT W.\LL .\ESTS 

Top hoards %xlO inches 9 ft. 2 in. lin. ft. 

Back Boards %xlO inches 15 ft. in. lin. ft. 

Sides %x7 inches 12 ft. in. lin. ft. 

Bottoms %x8 inches 8 ft. 6 in. lin. ft. 

Bottoms %x7 inches 8 ft. 6 in. lin. ft. 

Running boards %x6 inches 8 ft. 6 in. lin. ft. 

Partitions %xl2 inches 7 ft. in. lin. ft. 

Front boards, bottom %x4 inches 8 ft. 6 in. lin. ft. 

Front boards, top 78x2 inches 8 ft. 6 in. lin. ft. 

Support for running bds-..%x2 inches 7 ft. 4 in. lin. ft. 

Strips %x% inches 7 ft. in. lin. ft. 

If T & G boards are used for top, back, etc., get 55 

ft. board meas. 
2 pr. 1-inch butt hinges. 
4 2-inch hooks and eyes. 

No allowance made for waste in cutting. 

Sectional Nests. 

The nests shown in Fig. 189 are adapted for use either 
in the laying house or for sitting hens. They are built 
with solid bottoms, backs and ends, and may be stacked 




FIG. 189 — CONVENIENT SECTIONAL NESTS 

up one on the other in the fashion of sectional bookcases, 
which suggests the name. The doors are on hinges and 
are supported in a horizontal position by means of strong 
cords or wires, and in this position serve as running 
boards. They can be closed when necessary, turned to 
face the wall, or placed in any other position. They can 
be made in sets of two, three or four, though the latter is 
not advisable unless light-weight wood is used. For sit- 
ting hens they should be made 13 to 15 inches high, and 
about 14 inches square. 

TRAP NESTS 

Plans for Trap Nests That Are Easily Made and 

Reliable in Action. 

A simple, convenient trap nest that has given the best 
of service for many years is shown in Figs. 190, 191 and 
192. The hen in entering the nest raises the door slightly, 
which releases trigger B in Fig. 191, and as soon as she 
has passed from under the door it drops in place and the 
hen will have to remain in the nest until released by the 
attendant. Fig. 190 shows all the different parts that enter 



INTERIOR FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT 



95 



into the making of the nest. Use the following key in 
studying the illustration: 

A. Galvanzied iron door 9x9 inches square. Edges 
turned to stiffen. Upper edge has No. 9 fence wire in- 
serted in fold, this wire extending about J4"'"ch at each 
end beyond sides of door. B. Wood trigger, %y.% inches 
in width and thickness, and Zyi inches in length. Has 
notch cut in lower end. Upper end has common wire 
staple driven in part way, with an extra staple looped 
through this one. Is fastened to cross top rail (see Fig 
191) so that galvanized iron door will just clear it nicely 
when raised. C. Top rail %x2xl2 inches. Trigger (B) is to 
be attached to this rail. D and E, front and back of nest — 
duplicates; 12^4 inches wide by 10J4 inches high. Bottom 
rail J^x3xl2j/i inches. Top rail ^ixli4xl2i/^ inches. Side 
rail Jix2x6y2 inches. Strips are ^gx^gxlO^ inches. Back 
of nest can be made solid, if desired. F and I, sides of 
nest, each S^xl05/$x20^ inches. G. Bottom of nest or 
floor, %x\2]/^y.20y2 inches. H, Strip J8x2.54xl2 inches, used 




fii't. i;iO— p.xr^TS rkquirkii ts practical 

TR.\r-NEST 

mill-way between front and back of nest to hold nest ma- 
terial in place. See Figs. 191 and 192 for construction of 
nest and nest in use. 

The Connecticut Trap Nest 

By ROY E. JOXES and LESLIE CARD 

The trap nest shown in Fig. 193 was developed in con- 
nection with the International Egg Laying Contest at 
Storrs. The important parts'of this nest are the door and 
trigger. The door is hung at the top on No. 8 or 9 wire 
by means of strips of hoop iron tacked along the edges of 
the door. These strips extend above the top of the door 
and a hole is punched in the upper end through which 
the wire runs. The door is made narrower at the bottom 
than at the top to prevent its binding on the sides of the 
nest. The door when completed and in place is practically 
proof against trouble as there is nothing to get loose or 
wear out. 



The dimensions of the trigger are shown in the dia- 
gram (Fig. 193). The trigger is perhaps more easily made 
from a %x2-inch strip. The 4i4-inch dimension and the 
2}/2-inch dimension may be measured off on the two par- 
allel gdges, which are two inches apart. Then the 45^-inch 
dimension may be drawn and the }/2-inch one perpendicu- 
lar to it. These leave only the 25^-inch line to be drawn, 
which is easily done. The point for making the screw hole 
is determined as follows: draw a line parallel to the 454- 
inch side and j/i inch from it. Then measure along this 
line to a point 2^ inches from the point of the trigger. 




PIG. 191 — HEN ENTERING TRAP NEST 

This point will be the center of the screw hole. The screw 
hole should be large enough to allow the trigger to work 
freely. It is well to put one of the small tins sometimes 
used in laying tar paper behind the trigger with the 
rounded side out. This will tend to let the trigger act 
more freely. The screw holding the trigger should be 
placed at a point about Syi inches from the bottom of the 
nest and 314 inches from the front. 

The two cuts at the bottom of Fig. 193 show all the 
other dimensions of the nest. The backs are left open to 
facilitate cleaning, with the nests hung against the wall. If 
placed under the droppings boards the tops may be left 
open also. If used for a large flock the nests may be 
tiered up in rows, in which case only the top row would 
need to be covered as the bottom of one row of nests 
would be the covers for the row below. 

To set the nests when the door is closed, insert the in- 
dex finger beneath the door and depress the forward end 
of the trigger sufficiently to allow the door to open. Open 
the door until it rests in the notch of the trigger when the 




FIG. 192 — HEN IN NEST — DOOR CLOSED 

rear end of the latter is raised. When a hen enters the 
nest she lifts the door slightly with her back, the trigger 
at once drops and the door swings shut. A small block 
is placed under the trigger at such a height that when the 
rear end of the trigger is resting upon it the front end is 
held at a point just above the lower edge of the door when 
closed. This prevents the door from opening inward to 
admit another hen until the occupant of the nest has been 
removed and her egg recorded. A stop is necessary in 
front of each door to prevent the door opening outward 



96 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




doors. Whatever form of stop is used 
should be fastened to the partition be- 
tween the nests in such a way that it will 
stop the door flush with the front of the 
partition. The key to the successful oper- 
ation of the nest lies in the correct adjust- 
ment of the door and trigger. 

MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR A SET OF 
THREE TRAP NESTS 

Board.s 2 — %x9 inches. 7 feet long. 

1 — '/gxSi^ inches, 3 feet long. 

1 — %r4 inches, 3 feet 4 inch long. 

Furring 3 — %-s.2 inches, 12 feet long. 

Wire 40 inches No. 8 or 9. 

Hoop iron.... % -inch. 6 feet lone. 
Nails v.. pound 6d. 





FIG. 193— PLANS FOR THE CONNECTICUT TRAP NEST 



and thus allowing the hen to escape. This may consist of 
a screw hook bent over a small block of wood or one of 
the small iron buttons commonly used to fasten cupboard 



The "Gravity" Trap Nest 
The trap nest illustrated in Figs. 194 
and 195, is one of the simplest and easiest 
to operate. This nest can be made by any- 
one who is handy with tools. There are no 
triggers or special attachments to make 
or to get out of order. 

It is 24 inches long, 12 to 14 inches 
wide and 12 inches high. The top of the 
nest is covered with poultry netting and 
the revolving door in front also is covered 
with 1-inch netting, or with galvanized 
wire cloth. The sides of the door, as will 
be seen in Fig. 195, are each made of a 
piece of ^-inch lumber. The circular face 
of the door is approximately one-third of 
a full circle and should measure Xy/i 
inches, while the straight edges should 
each measure lYz inches. The two sides of 
the door are fastened together at top and 
bottom by means of strips about J^xl^/ 
inch. The door swings on screws that pass 
through small holes in the extreme back 
part of the door frame and are screwed 
into the sides of the nest. 

Care must be taken to see that the door 
swings freely back and forth and is so 
balanced that when it is open a hen pass- 
ing underneath will tip it forward. When 
the door is open, ready for use, it rests 
on a nail driven into the box, this nail being so placed 
that the door is just balanced when open. After the hen 
enters the nest she has to step onto or over a 4-inch strip 




FIG. 194— 
Photo 



"GRAVITY" TRAP NEST WITH DOOR CLOSED 
from American School of Poultry Husbandry. 



TRAP NEST 

This section through side of nest shows dimensions, 
method of hanging door on screws, also location of nail 
which supports door when open. Hen in stepping over 
low board in front of nest lifts door and causes it to 
roll forward along dotted line. Original drawing from 
American School of Poultry Husbandry. 



INTERIOR FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT 



97 



that is nailed across the bottom and forms the front of 
the nest proper. This raises her back so that it touches 
the door, which then gently rolls forward and closes be- 
hind her. With a little care in adjusting the door and se- 
curing a proper balance, the nest is accurate and depend- 
able. 

FEED TROUGHS AND HOPPERS 

Troughs That Fowls Cannot Get Into. Hoppers That 

Prevent Wasting of Feed. 

For feed troughs to be placed directly on the floor, 
the one shown in Fig. 198 is probably as good as any. It 
cannot readily be upset nor can the fowls get into it. It 
can be made in any length or width to meet individual 
^ requirements. A 

simple, easily 
made trough is 
shown in Fig. 196. 
It consists of or- 
dinary galavanized 
e a V e troughing, 
preferably four or five inches wide, and nailed to suit- 
able wooden supports. Bend the ends up to close them. 
Metal troughs are easy to clean and keep in sanitary con- 
dition. 

The wooden trough shown in Fig. 197 is easily and 
cheaply made. For adult fowls make it with a 6-inch 
boartj on the one side and a 7-inch board on the other 
in order to have both sides the same height. The divid- 




PIG. 196 — METAL FKED TROUGH 




FIG. 197— WOODEN FEED TROUGH WITH REMOVA- 
BLE DIVIDING BOARD 

ing board is provided to keep the fowls from getting into 
the trough and soiling contents. The ends o.f this board 
are bevelled and slide in slots cut into the end pieces, 
making it easily removable for cleaning. 

Feed Hoppers 

For feeding dry mash or grain the hopper shown in 
Figs. 199 and 200 is highly recommended. This hopper is 
made three feet long, 13 inches wide and 20 inches high to 
top of roof. A hopper of this size will hold sufficient food 
for 40 to 60 adult fowls or growing stock for a week. 





FIG. 



199— GR.\IN AND MASH HOPPER FOR INDOOR 
AND OUTDOOR USE 



It is not essential 

that hoppers be fill- 
ed full once a week. 

In practice it is 

found that it is well 

to fill them about 

half full; then keep 

an eye on the m 

w h e n going about 

to the coops with 

water, etc., and re 

fill any that appear 

to be getting low. 
It will be noticed 

also that the parti- - 

t i o n dividing the 

hopper into two 

compartments is not 

in the center. As a 

matter of fact, the 

partition is set over 

just half an inch 

from the exact cen- 
ter, so that the 

throat of the side 

containing the dry mash shall be an inch wider than the 
side containing whole or cracked grain. The dry inash 




FIG. 200 — CROSS SECTION OF GRAIN 
AND MASH HOPPER FOR IN- 
DOOR AND OUTDOOR USE 



-METAL FEED TROUGH WITH DIVIDING 
BOARD 




FIG. 201— SIMPLE HOPPER FOR DRY MASH FEEDING 



98 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 




Door for filling 
remored 



ir- 



-■ r^j 

I i strip to keep hen I 



r/iONT VI£W 



FIG. 202 — FEED HOPPER WITH THREE COMPARTMET^TS 
This easily constructed compartment feed hopper can be used for dr 
mash, grains, grit, oyster shells, charcoal, etc. Made with sloping top fow! 
cannot perch upon it. Reproduced from Cir. 26, Utah Agricultural Colleg 

flows less freely than does grain, and the inch wider 
throat for the dry mash side is desirable to prevent its 
clogging. 

In the drawing of a cross section of this .hopper (Fig. 
200) the bottom and ends are made of inch boards 13 
mches wide and the sides and partitions are made of half- 
inch or five-eighth-inch boards. The partitions and roof 
can easily be made of a good roofing fabric, or of galvan- 
ized iron. When made of roofing fabric, half-inch strips 
of board should be tacked to the ends and bottom of the 
middle partition; then these strips of board are nailed to 
ends and bottom of hopper, holding the partition firmly in 
place. Two laths, one on each side, are then securely 
nailed to the top of the partition and they make the ridge- 
pole of the hopper. 

The sloping partitions forming the two sides of this 
hopper are mjde similaily, excepting that a single lath, 
planed smooth so that the fowls' combs will not be 
scratched by the rough edges, is securely tacked along the 
lower outside edge of the partitions. A single lath is not 
stiff enough to hold the outward thrust of half a bushel 
of grain, therefore a piece of '/^-inch wire (telephone wire) 
is cut the right length and bent over so it can be tacked 
to the hopper front with a couple of staples and will 
reach into the lath of the partitions. 
-This will hold the partitions securely in 
place. 

The slats forming the fronts are made 
of laths, planed smooth, and are nailed 
about two inches apart. Along the top 
of the front is nailed a lath, extending 
inward and slightly downward, as shown 
in Fig. 200. This makes a "lip" and 
tends to prevent the chicks from throw- 
ing out the food as they pick at it. K 
little grain will be thrown out probably, 
but they eat from the ground now and 
then, especially after a rain has soaked 
the grain, hence there is practically no 
waste. 

The cover of the hopper is made slop- 
ing, just like a roof, and the eaves, 
should project full four inches over each side. The ends 
are cut from half-inch box boards and strips of the same 
material three inches wide are cut for the support of the 
caves. Two or three laths are nailed lengthwise between 



the eaves and the ridge to support 
the roofing fabric which make.i 
the roof. The lath and eaves strips 
are let into the end pieces, so the 
roofing fabric nails closely down up- 
on the ends. A hook and screw eye in 
the center- of each end secures the 
roof in place so the wind cannot lift it. 



A Simple Feed Hopper For Mash 
or Grain 

One of the easiest feed hoppers to 
make and one that will give good 
satisfaction, is the one shown in Fig. 
201. Use any convenient box — one 
with the dimensions indicated in the 
illustration, if available; or, if not, 
any other suitable size. Remove the 
top and trim enough off the edges 
to let it fit between the sides, then 
adjust it in the position of the dotted 
lines and nail fast. Make a hinged 
cover, as shown; or, if increased size is no object, simply 
saw the upper end off with the proper slant and use the 
end thus secured for a cover. The hinges can be dis- 
pensed with, if preferred, nailing a cleat on the underside 
of the loose top near the front so that when it is in posi- 
tion it will be held in place by the cleat which rests 
against the upper edge of the sloping front. If the* fowls 
waste the food by throwing it out over the front board, 
nail a piece of lath along the upper edge of the board, 
letting the lath extend in so as to form a lip which 
catches any food that may be thrown up by the fowls. 




SECT/OM 





PIG. 203. 

GREEN FEED 

HOLDER 



FIG. 20 4— A LOW-COST C01IP.\RTMEXT HOPPER 

Compartment Hoppers 

For small flocks a compartment hopper to hold sev- 
eral articles, such as grit, oyster shell and dry mash, often 
is wanted. The ones shown in Figs. 202 and 204 meet 
this need and are easily made. The number of compart- 
ments that may be provided will be determined to some 
extent by size of box. They should not be made so small 
that the contents will not feed down readily. The inside 
surfaces of all boards used in making hoppers should be 
smooth, as hoppers made of rough boards are apt to 
clog. The hopper shown in Fig. 204 will be improved by 
providing a "lip" on the front of the feeding section, ex- 
tending inward, as shown in Fig. 200. which will prevent 
the fowls from throwing the contents out on the floor. 

Green Feed Holder 

A convenient means of supplying bulky green food, 
such as cabbage, mangels, vegetable leaves, etc., is by the 



INTERIOR FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT 



99 





FRONT VIEW 





END VIEW 



REAR V'^\y 



AUTOMATIC FEEDER 



C.C.MOLK/ICS 



FIG. 205— THE HOLMES AUTOMATIC POULTRY FEEDER 



use of an open mesh holder like the one shown in Fig. 
203. It may be made of loosely-woven cord, or of 2-inch 
mesh poultry netting. Suspended from ceiling or rafter 
at a suitable height, so that the fowls will have to make 
some effort to reach it, this feeder not only protects the 
contents frtmi being soiled or wasted, but also promotes 

healthful e x e r - 
cise. Pieces of 
m eat, butcher's 
scraps, etc., may 
also be fed in 




An Automatic Feeder 
There is always more or less de- 
mand for an automatic feeder that 
will meet the requirements of the 
back-yard poultryman who must be 
absent from home at the time when 
the fowls should have their grain 
feed. This is especially liable to be 
the case in the evening. Probably the 
great majority of shop and office 
workers in this country do not get 
home from work until after dark, 
during the winter months, and it is 
not always possible to have someone 
else to do the feeding, and do it just 
the way it should be done. The auto- 
matic feeder illustrated in Fig. 205 
was devised by C. C. Holmes as a 
means of insuring that the hens 
shall get their meals on time. It is 
comparatively inexpensive and sim- 
ple in construction, and should an- 
swer the purpose in a very satisfac- 
tory manner. The following direc- 
tions for making this feeder are sup- 
plied by Mr. Holmes. 

Feed — Take an inch board nine 
inches wide and 18 inches long. Cut 
hole two inches square through board 
Ayi inches from end and sides of 
board to center of hole. This affords 
an opening through which the grain 
passes onto the spreader after the 
hinged door has been liberated by 
the trigger. 

Hinged Door — To be constructed 
similar to the cover on a tobacco 
box. and secured to bottom of board 
in such position as to entirely cover 
hole. 

Trigger — After hinged door has 
been placed, the trigger is to be lo- 
cated so as to hang plumb, the notch 
to project slightly over the edge of hinged door. Cut nar- 
row slot through board long enough to allow trigger to 
move backward and forward freely. Where trigger passes 
through top of board make a small hole, through which 
put a nail and secure same to top of board with a staple 
at each end. Trigger can be made of metal or wood, with 
small hole to fasten string. 

Hopper — To be eight inches square and such height 
as may be required, the bottom portion to be cut and bent 
in, so as to form a two-inch square opening at bottom of 
hopper. .At each corner of hopper solder metal standards 
of proper length, bent at bottom to receive screw. Plac » 



V 



foot Saahd i 



2"sface 



T7^ 

z.- BucKet I 

2 



Or Can 1 



FIG. 206-CONVENIBNT MASH PAIL FIG. 207-PLATFORJ,I FOR WATER 



100 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



two-inch square hole in hopper directly over hole in board 
and secure same by screwing standards to top of board. 
The lid of hopper is to be made similar to hinged door on 
bottom of board. 

Spreader — To be made of metal, conical in shape, and 
12 inches in dia- 
meter at base, sus- 
pended with wire 
hangers soldered to 
spreader and 
screwed to bottom 
of board. Hangers 
are to be of proper 
length to suspend 
spreader low enough 
to clear hinged door 
when open. 

Clock — An o r d i - 
nary alarm clock is 
then placed in such 
a position that it 
brings the center of 
spool over center of 
FIG. 209 — TROLLEY FEED CARRIER board. After clock 

has been securely 
fastened with metal strap, which is bent over top of 
clock and screwed at each end to top of board, plumb 
down from side of spool and bore hole through which 
string passes. On bottom of board under hole place 
small wooden pulley around which string passes from 
spool to trigger. 

Spool — To be secured to alarm winder in a sub- 
stantial manner by welding a short shaft to winder over 
which slip spool and secure with set screw. 

Finally — Wind clock and set at correct time, then give 
spool (alarm) about two turns after setting alarm for the 
desired time you wish to feed. When the hour comes you 
have set your alarm for, the spool will turn, winding up 






FIG. 211 — CROSS SECTION OP 
WATERING PLATFORM 



FIG. 210 — TROLLEY ON WIRE CABLE 



the string which pulls the trigger and liberates the hinged 
door. The grain then falls upon the spreader and scat- 
ters in all directions. The feeder is to be hung from 
ceiling of poultry house near roof, or can be suspended 
out of doors if so desired. The birds will so in become 
familiar with the ringing of the alarm and know it is time 
for the meal. 

MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT 

Various Handy Devices for Making the Poultry Work 

Lighter, and Saving Time. 

A Mash Pail. 

Where mash is to be fed, either wet or dry, a pail 
with a hood that will keep the mash from spilling will be 
found a decided con- 
venience. Such a pail 
in shown in Fig. 206 
and can be used in 
fiilling hoppers or pour- 
ing mash into troughs 
without having any 
of the contents 
wasted. 

A Trolley Feed 
Carrier 

In long compart- 
ment houses a trolley 
by means of which 
feed, litter, droppings, 
etc., can be conveyed 

back and forth, relieves the caretaker of much hard work. 
The carrier illustrated in Fig. 210 runs on a wire cable 
and is provided with a grapple by which feed box, bar- 
rels for droppings, bales of straw, etc., are readily picked 
up and pushed 
along to their des- 
tination with a 
minimum of ef- 
fort. Where trol- 
leys are used, the 
partition doors 
generally are made 
iin pairs and hung 
on double - action 
spring hinges, the 
carrier pushing; 
them open with- 
out special atten- 
tion from the at- 
tendant. 

Fig. 209 shows 
another method of 
installing trolleys, 
using 2x4 timbers 
to form the track 
and s u s p e nding 
these on metal 
stirrups. The li ix 
shown in illus: ra- 
tion is held Ijy 
hooks which can 
readily be disen- 
gaged and used in 
h an d 1 i n g other ^^'G- 212-HOME-MADE OATS 

=" SPROUTER 

'°^"^- Photo from Purdue University. 




INTERIOR FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT 



101 



Water Vessels 

Water vessels may be of metal or earthenware, but 
should never be of wood. Earthenware is liable to be 
broken by dropping or freezing, but with careful handling 
will last a long time and is fairly cheap. Galvanized ware 
is usually preferred and where the flocks are large may 
consist of plain 10 or 12-quart pails supported as in Figs. 
208 an-d 211. The platform should be wide enough to allow 
the fowls to stand and drink on three sides and the hole 
in which the pail fits should be just large enough to 
hold the pail about one-third above the platform, which 
gives the fowls easy access to it, and prevents it being 
tipped over. The stand should be high enough so that 
litter will not be liable to be scratched into the water. 
For small flocks and for use in the alleyway shown in 
Fig. 181, one or one and one-half gallon crocks with 
stiaight sides are very satisfactory. If to be used in- 
side the pens, a slatted platform should be provided as 
illustrated in Fig. 207. 

For winter use various types of "nonfreezing" water 
founts are made. In extremely cold climates the most 
practical plan is to use heated founts. These are pro- 
vided with a small lamp underneath the water vessel, 
which keeps the water well above freezing temperature 
and requires only a limited amount of kerosene for the 
purpose. Small oil heaters or stoves are available for 
those who wish to provide homemade devices. It is not 
desirable to use anything that supplies much heat, nor 
should lamps with glass bowls or chimneys ever be 
used. Especial care should be taken with all such appli- 
ances to avoid danger of fire. 

Where the cold is not too severe, it is possible to 
utilize the "fireless cooker" principle in protecting the 
water so that it will remain free from ice for a number 
of hours at least. For this purpose an ordinary galvan- 
ized pail of suitable size may be used providing for it a 
wooden enclosure to be packed with newspapers, chaff, 
planer shavings or similar material. The enclosure 
should be large enough so that the pail may be sur- 
rounded by an insulating layer two to three inches in 
thickness. If properly made, the water vessel can be 
removed for emptying or cleaning without disturbing 
the insulating material. So protected, a pail filled with 
warm water in the morning should keep free from ice 
all day long, unless the temperature drops extremely 
low. 

Hook for Catching Fowls 

For catching individual fowls nothing is better than 
a crook similar to a shepherd's crook. It may be easily 

and cheaply made 

of heavy galvanized 

wire. Use about S'/j 

feet of wire so that 

when the crook 

six inches 

has been 

on one end 

loop for the 

on the 

the finished 

implement will be 

at least 4 feet long. 

The crook should 

lie left wide enough 

>o that it may be 

h e a vi 1 y wrapped 

with cloth or adhe- 

FIG. 213— DOOR FASTExNER ^ive tape to protect 




I about 

long-) 

turned 

.•md a 

handle 

r.ther. 




FIG. 214— PORTABLE DUST BOX 

the fowls' legs from injury. A loop of lighter wire may 
be used, attaching it to a wooden handle, but it is diffi- 
cult to fasten it securely in place and an all-wire crook 
is not so easily seen and hence will disturb the fowls 

less. 

Home-Made Appliances 

There are various appliances that may be made from 
empty cans, tin boxes, etc., which will answer the purpose 
slmost as well as the more expensive ones purchased al 
the poultry supply store. It is an easy matter to overdo 
the matter in practicing economy by the use of such 
devices, however. The true test in every case is not how 
much can be saved in first cost by the substitution of 
home-made articles for manufactured ones, but whether 
they are as good, as nearly wasteproof, and as convenient. 
If not, then it will pay better in the long run to spend a 
little money and have equipment that will really answer 
the purpose and save feed and time. However, the handy 
poultryman can make grit and shell boxes, watering 
founts, etc., from waste boxes and cans, which may an- 
swer fully as well as manufactured appliances. 

Handy Door Fastener 

The simple, inexpensive door and gate fastener 
shown in Fig. 213 will prove very convenient under many 
conditions. It consists simply of a wedge-shaped wooden 
block nailed to gate post or door frame and adjusted in 
width so that when the door or gate swings shut it will 
bind on the surface of the wedge and will be held se- 
curely until it receives a strong push or pull. On a par- 
tition door or small gate, place it low enough so that the 
foot can be used in pushing the door open. 

A Portable Dust Bath 

This dust bath (Fig. 214) is made from any convenient 
box. with a barrel hoop for a handle, and four pieces of 
wood for legs. Make it about 12 inches deep and not 
less than 2 feet square, and set it in a sunny place in the 
house, when the fowls cannot get out, and see how quick 
ly they will discover what it is meant for. 

A Safe Way to Poison Rats and Mice 

The difficulty of using rat poison about poultry houses 
without endangering the fowls, can be entirely overcome 
by providing the appliance illustrated in Fig. 216, par- 
ticularly if the poison is mixed with corn meal so that 



102 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



the rodents cannot carry it out. A convenient 
size for the box is about 12x12 inches and 6 
inches high. However, the dimensions are of 
no special importance. The top of the box 
should be removable, but must be fastened 
securely in place with hinges, hooks, or other- 
wise, so that it cannot be accidentally dis- 
placed. Provide a number of l!/2-inch holes 
along the lower edge as shown. The small 
tin box, indicated by dotted lines, which is to 
contain the poisoned food, is to be nailed se- 
curely in the center of the bottom. 

The trap is regularly baited with a mix- 
ture of one-third sugar of lead and two-thirds 
corn meal. It has proved quite successful in 
the extermination of these pests. No poultry 
keeper whose premises are infested with rats 
can afford to let up in the warfare against 
them. Provide as many of these safety poi- 
soning devices as necessary and keep them 
baited at all times. 

OAT SPROUTING EQUIPMENT 

Sprouted Oats Are Unequalled As Green Feed for Fowb. 

Convenient Plans for Making Oat Sprouters, 

With or Without Heat. 

Sprouted oats form one of the best sources of green 
food and almost every poultry plant these days needs 
some arrangement for producing them. Where large quan- 
tities of oats are to be sprouted it is better to have a sep- 
arate room for the purpose so that temperature and other 
conditions may be exactly controlled. 



Pcz-^ voijort mc.'xe.c/ ifi/j^ conn rrts^r rcc e/fe. 
Cix-C no re J sDocrV' /^t%f</^ Hi p/l 





jme-madk uATa .sruuL'Tiii; u ith i..\mp 

COMPARTMENT 



FIG. 216— SAFETY R-\T POISONING DEVICE 

To succeed with oat sprouting in winter requires a 
fairly warm room, and to economize floor space, racks or 
cabinets with shallow sliding trays should be provided, as 
illustrated in Figs. 212 and 217. Shallow galvanized iron 
trays 22x26 inches and one inch deep should be provided. 
These are kept on racks with about eight inches between 
each tray, as illustrated herewith. Holes are punched in 
the bottoms of the pans so that the surplus water used 
in sprinkling can drain away. Instead of galvanized pans, 
fine-mesh wire netting can be used for the bottoms of 
wooden trays, or wooden bottoms may be used. The use 
of wooden trays, however, is not recommended on account 
of the difficulty of keeping them sweet and free from 
mold. Soaked oats are liable to sour and mold if the trays 
are moldy, and for that reason galvanized iron trays, 
which may be thoroughly wa^'ed and disinfected after 
each using, are much more satisfactory. 

Soak the oats over night, then put in a coarse sack 
and drain, after which they are spread in the pans to a 
depth of one-half to three-fourths of an inch. They should 
l)e sprinkled daily with tepid water, and in four to ten 
days are ready to feed, depending on the temperature of 
the room. Some light is needed for sprouting oats prop- 
erly, but not direct sunlight. .\ fairly well-lighted base- 
ment or cellar answers nicely. 

Inexperienced persons in sprouting oats spread them 
out an inch or an inch and a half deep. Where this is 
done many of the oats will smother and fail to sprout, 
and there is also more danger of mold. If spread only 
one-half inch in depth they will sprout rapidly and be in 
much better condition. The chief difficulty in sprouting 
oats is to prevent mold. Moldy food of any kind is unfit 
for poultry feeding and sprouted oats are no exception to 
the rule. If oats are spread only one-half inch thick, suf- 
ficient warmth supplied, and care taken to clean thor- 
oughly and sun the sprouting pans and buckets used in 
soaking, there should be no trouble from this source. 

,\s an additional precaution against mold, a solution 
made by adding one ounce of formalin to four gallons of 
water will be found effective. The dry oats should be 
sprinkled with this solution until wet enough to pack in 
the hand. They then should be spread out two or three 
inches deep on the floor or in trays or boxes and covered 
with cloth or bagging for two hours, after which they may 
be uncovered and allowed to dry before soaking for 
sprouting. Buckets and trays should be washed with the 
formalin each time they are used. 



INTERIOR FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT 



103 



Circular i7 of Purdue t Indiana) Experiment Station 
illustrates and describes a cheap, easily made oat sprouter 
(see Fig. 212) that will provide sufficient green food for 
a good-sized flock. It can be made to take trays of the 
dimensions previously described or modified to meet any 
special requirements. This sprouter can be located in any 
convenient building or room and for cold weather it is 
entirely practical to enclose it and provide a small lamp 
or lantern underneath to get proper warmth for germi- 
nation. 



A Lamp Heated Oat Sprouter 

Where only a comparatively 
are to be provided for and the oat 




FIG. 217— A CORNER IN AN -OAT 
SPROUTING ROOM 

solution is excellent for the purpose 
all inside surfaces. 



mall number of fowls 
s must be sprouted in 
a cold house or 
room, the lamp- 
lii-ated sptouter 
^ h o w n in Fig. 
215 is p a r I i c - 
ularly convenient. 
The cabinet can be 
made in any desired 
^ i z e, making the 
trays as (jirected for 
the oat sprouting 
room described on 
page 102, but grad- 
uating the spacing 
for the trays as in- 
dicated in the illus- 
tration. Under the 
trays a water-tight 
drawer is provided 
a n d a ventilated 
lamp chamber un- 
derneath. Use a 
lamp or small oil 
stove and regulate 
the flame so that 
the temperature in 
the cabinet will be 
about 70 to 75 de- 
grees, and the oats 
will grow rapidly. 
In order to avoid 
mtild, the trays and 
t h e entire inside 
chamber should be 
thoroughly d i s i n - 
fected at frequent 
intervals. Formalin 
, spraying or mopping 



Illuminating Poultry Houses 

The illumination of poultry houses in winter months 
with a view to increasing egg yields is receiving much 
attention at the present time. One of the main difficul- 
ties in securing good winter production appears to be the 
shortness of the hen's working day. Short days reduce 
her time for eating, also her time for digestion and assimi- 
lation. In mid'winter when the fowls go to roost at four 
or half-past four in the afternoon and r&main until seven 
or eight in the morning, comparatively little of the daj' 
is left for eating, laying, etc., and the extremely long fast 
through the night clearly must cut down food consump- 
tion. 



Experiments made by practical poultry keepers have 
shown that artificially lighting the poultry house for a 
few hours, morning and evening, so that the fowls have 
daylight or its equivalent for twelve to fourteen hours 
out of the twenty-four, regularly results in a marked in- 
crease in egg production, other conditions being favor- 
able. Similar results have been secured at certain of our 
Agricultural Experiment Stations, particularly at Cornell 
University, where the subject is being carefully investi- 
gated and where striking results in favor of illumination 
have been secured. The advantage in the method appears 
to be due to the fact that with a longer day the fowls 
have more time for eating and digesting the large amount 
of food essential to heavy production. They must have 
not only sufficient food to maintain their physical well- 
being, to keep up or increase their flesh, and to furnish 
fuel for warmth on cold winter days, but they also must 
consume a sufficient amount of food in addition, to fur- 
nish ample material for the formation of eggs. 

The following i^ an illustration given by Professor 
Rice of Cornell, showing the results obtained by a New 
York State poultryman who kept an accurate record of 
results secured with a flock in an illuminated house and, 
for comparison, the record of a similar flock without 
illumination; 

PRODITCTIOX OF ONE HU.XDRED HEXS IN UNLIGHTED 

HOUSE 

March Price 
Eggs Laid Per Doz. Receipts 
$.69 " -■ 



December 14 

January 154 

February 430 

March - 841 

April _ : 1401 

May 1605 

June 792 

Total 4362 



% 

21.12 

30.10 

44,35 

42.35 

42.14 

28.38 



PRODUCTION OF ONE HUNDRED HENS IN ILLUMI- 
N.\TED HOUSE 



December 1410 

January 780 

February 548 

March 483 

April 451 

May 



June 



704 



March Price 




Per Doz. 


Receipts 


$.69 


$81.08 


.71 


46.15 


.57 


26.90 


.43 


17.23 


.43 


14.25 


.38 


25.04 


.43 


25.20 



Total _ 4286 



$235.90 



This experiment and numerous others of a similar 
character clearly prove that by this method the poultry- 
man can get more high-priced eggs from his fowls by 
the use of lights. It seems to be clearly established that 
illumination does not actually increase the number of 
eggs laid by hens in a season, but it changes the time of 
laying or advances production from the low-price months 
of spring to the high-price months of early winter. In 
other words, the poultryman may not get more eggs in 
number by this method, but he should get them at the 
time when they bring the most money. 

Where electric lights are available, poultry houses can 
be lighted conveniently and with little expense. The size 
and number of bulbs to be used are determined by the 
amount of light needed properly to illuminate the house 
or pen. They should be located where they will light the 
house to best advantage. It is usual to provide a low- 
powered bulb as well as a high-powered one. so that 
when the bright light is turned off there will still be suf- 
ficient light for the fowls to find their way readily to 
roost. Numerous poultry kepers who do not have elec- 
tricity are reporting good results with acetylene, gas and 
gasoline lights. 



CHAPTER XI 



Exterior Fixtures and General Equipment 

Advantages of Double Yarding for Fowls— How to Plan Yards, Build Fences, Etc.— How to Keep Yards Clean and Free 

From Disease Germs— Outdoor Feed Hoppers — Feed Wagon — Brood Coop— Labor-Saving Method of Supplying 

Water on Range — Providing Shade — Other Special Poultry Plant Equipment. 



NORTH YARD 

Slide Pooj-> 
lOOf-O' 



Ol UTDOOR runs are provided chiefly to afforJ 
I fowls a means of securing plenty of healthful ex- 
sMFng ercise in the open air, and in a general way are 
Bubal regarded as indispensable to successful and profit- 
able poultry keeping. It is true that many back-yard flocks 
are kept confined to their houses the year around and 
with excellent results and, of course, yards have little 
value in the north, in winter weather. Nevertheless, the 
advantages of having outdoor runs of ample size are so 
great that few poultry keepers care to dispense with them 
except with quite small flocks or for- a limited time. 

One important advantage aflforded by runs or yards, 
though it often is overlooked or neglected, is the oppor- 
tunity to produce green food for the hens. A growing 
crop, properly managed, not only provides a continuous 
supply of this healthful and economical part of the ra- 
tion, but by using up the accumulating fertility keeps the 
ground in a wholesome condition and lessens the danger 
from disease. Bare, unproductive poultry yards ought to 
be regarded as inexcusable unless 

they are necessarily so small that it —a 

is impossible to keep anything green 
growing in them. 

The amount of yard room that 
should be provided per fowl cannot 
be arbitrarily fixed. A little is better 
than none; and a good deal is better 
than a little. The only general rule 
that can be given is to provide as 
much as possible, remembering, how- 
ever, that the cost of fencing large 
yards amounts to a considerable fig- 
ure, and obviously there are limits 
beyond which it is not practical to 
extend them. Under most conditions 
one hundred square feet per hen, di- 
vided into two runs of equal size and used alternately, 
will keep them in green food throughout the entire 
growing season. But the same amount of ground in one 
yard to which the fowls have access at all times, will 
soon be picked off so close that the growth will be killed 
and the ground left bare. 

Wherever practicable the runs should be made large 
enough and be so fenced that they can be cultivated by 
horsepower. Spading is a tedious and laborious operation 
and, while it must be resorted to with small yards, it is 
always a handicap, and the necessity for doing it should 
be avoided if possible. Small yards cost much more in 
proportion to the amount of land enclosed. 

A satisfactory arrangement of runs for the laying or 
breeding flock is illustrated in Fig. 218, in which the 
house is shown between two runs, one on the north and 
tlie other on the south side. The width of the yard is 
determined in this case by the width of the house pen, 
but it can be as long as necessary or as the limits of 
available land make possible. In the case of a continuous 
house the gates in the yard fence next the house should 
always be made wide enough for the passage of a team 
so that, in cultivating, the horses can turn from one yard 
into the next instead of having to make a complete turn 



in the same yard, which usually results in much injury 
to the fencing. 

Fig. 220 shows another double-yarding plan that 
often can be utilized to good advantage where only a 
limited amount of land is available. In carrying out this 
plan, each pen is provided with a small outdoor yard on 
which no attempt is made to keep anything growing ex- 
cept, possibly, one or two trees which will afford agree- 
able shade in hot weather. Adjoining these small yards 
are large runs occupying all the rest of the available 
ground and planted to a suitable growing crop. The hens 
are given access to the small yards at all times, but are 
allowed to have access to the large runs only when the 
crop is in proper condition for their use. It is generally 
understood that fowls, if allowed to overrun a small plot 
of green stuflf, will soon kill it off, whereas if they are only 
given access to it for a limited time, the plants will keep 
growing right along and will furnish a constant supply of 
green food, week after week. This method of yarding 



u 



=1=^ 



HOUSE PEN 
i6-crx 2o'-o" 



SOUTH YA-RD 
^Sllde Poor 

loo'-or 



FIG. 218 — DOUBLE YARD PLAN FOR SINGLE OR COMPARTMENT HOUSE 



calls for more fencing and more gates than the plan in- 
dicated in Fig. 218, but it is well adapted to the condi- 
tions of the back-lotter, and of small producers generally. 
.'\nother double-yarding method, where the yards can be 
any desired width regardless of the width of the house, 
is illustrated in Fig. 219. 

BUILDING POULTRY FENCES 

Directions for Putting Up Wire Fence, That Will Make 

the Work Much Easier. 

In building permanent poultry fences it pays to use 
only the best materials. Fence building is an expensive 
matter at best, on account of the amount of labor re- 
quired, and if poor material is used or the work careless- 
ly done, the final cost is greatly increased. If wooden 
posts are used, black locust, catalpa, cedar, and chestnut 
are the most durable of the timbers generally available. It 
will pay to give the lower end of all posts a coatmg of 
creosote or hot tar before setting them in the ground. 
Where sand and stone or gravel are available, concrete 
posts are cheapest in the long run. Even though the line 
posts are of wood it pays to make gate, end, and corner 
posts of concrete. It is not a serious matter to replace 



EXTERIOR FIXTURES AND GENERAL EQUIPMENT 



105 




FIG. 219 — DOUBLE YARDING METHOD FOR 
LARGE YARDS 

an ordinary line post, but with wire fences, the failure 
of an end post lets the entire fence down and stretching 
it a second time may be more difficult than at first. The 
corner and gate posts should always be larger and set 
deeper than the regular posts and should be well braced 
so that they will stand any strain to which they may be 
subjected. 

In the purchase of poultry fencing there is only one 
injunction that can be given and that is to get the best 
obtainable. Ordinary hexagonal netting, if well galvanized 
after weaving (not before), generally will last quite well, 
but it is difficult to stretch it evenly, especially where the 
fence is to be built on irregular ground. There are other 
kinds of poultry fencing that will stretch better and pos- 
sibly last longer, but unfortunately the weight of the 
fence or the thickness of the wire is no indication of qual- 
ity, as some comparatively heavy fencing is so lightly 
galvanized that it rusts out in much less time than lighter 
wire that is heavily galvanized. 

Stretch the fence carefully, using a good stretcher, 
which usually can be secured from the dealer who sup- 
plies the fencing, if the poultryman does not have enough 
of such work to warrant owning one of his own. Where 
the fence must be stretched without a regular fence 
stretcher the following method, described by Don Harri- 
son, may be used m putting it up: 



■'Among the methods employed for putting up poul- 
try netting, I have found no way which is so expeditious 
and in every way satisfactory, as the following: 

"Nail the boards on which you intend to fasten the 
bottom of the netting in such a manner as to form a 
straight line, as netting cannot be nicely put up over a 
line, one part of which is higher than the rest, without 
cutting and lapping the netting. Have the posts extend 
at least 4 feet 4 inches above the top of the boards. 

"Now drive six-penny nails about i^-inch into the 
posts 4 feet from the board. Next loosen the roll of net- 
ting and run a slender stick lengthwise through the cen- 
ter. I use a measuring stick 8 feet long. Have two per- 
sons take hold of the ends of the pole and walk as near 
the posts as possible, thereby cau-sing the netting to un- 
roll. Now your netting lies flat on the ground. Get on 
the opposite side of the fence with staple and hammer, 
and staple the selvage strand to the top or edge of the 
board, pulling the wire just enough to take out the kinks. 
Do not try to stretch it. Now one edge of the netting 
is fastened to the base board and the other edge lies about 
4 feet from you on the ground. Pick up the free edge 
and hook it over the nails previously driven in the posts. 
Fasten the ends of the netting to their respective posts. 










»^-««,- 



FIG. 221 — FEED AND WATER WAGON FOR SERVING 
COLONY FLOCKS 
Where fowls are kept in small colony flocks more or 
less scattered over the fields, a convenient low-down wagon 
or truck is a great convenience. The wagon here shown 
on Poultry Plant of Cornell University, carries a water 
barrel provided with a hose and faucet, a box for feed and 
a milk can in which a supply of sour milk may be carried, 
and a pail for distributing feed and water when needed. 
There is room on the truck also for supplies of charcoal, 
grit, oyster shell, etc. 




-PRACTICAL I> 
Photc 



H-BLE YARDING METHOD WHEN SPACE IS LIMITED 
from N. J. College of Agriculture. 



106 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



^^^im^m^'t 



"y^g^ 



W\- 



IKPM. 



FIG. 222 — CONVENIENT END GATES FOR POULTRY YARDS 



pulling fairly taut and fastening securely. Make a notch 
on the end of your pole deep enough to hold the selvage. 
With this pole push the netting up on the post, having 
pulled the nail when you attached the pole, until the net- 
ting is firm and straight. Staple the selvage wire to the 
post, repeating the operation on each post. After you 
have done this, staple to the post as much as you think 
necessary. I use two staples between selvages, making 
four to each post, and as for the bottom I staple every 
2 feet. 

"With a boy to help unroll the netting, you can put 
up a roll in twenty minutes. Our yards are on level 
ground and we have posts sawed 3 by 3 inches and 8 
feet 4 inches long. We drive them 2 feet into the ground 
and put two 12-inch boards at the bottom to prevent the 
males from fighting." 

Where the yards are to be used by breeding flocks 
it is always desirable to make the first two feet solid as 
described by Mr. Harrison. For ordinary laying flocks 
this is not imperative, and as this method of construc- 
tion adds considerable to the cost it is customary to use 
only one 10 or 12-inch board which is needed in order to 
have a substantial base to which the bottom wire or sel- 
vage can be securely stapled. Wire fences usually re- 
quire posts about every 16 feet with 
a short post between each to support 
the middle of the base board and 
keep it from warping. 

It is always desirable to make am- 
ple provision for getting the plow 
team into and out of the yards. 
Where the yards are narrow the 
plan of having the end of the yards 
closed with one big gate, as in Fig. 
222, is a good one. With these gates 
open the team can be taken into the 
yard for plowing, turning it in the 
open space at the foot of the yard. 
If the yards are connected at the 
other end with wide gates so that the 
team can turn through into an ad- 
joining yard instead of having to 
make a complete turn in one yard, it 
is possible to plow and cultivate 
quite narrow runs with comparative- 
ly little difficulty. 

Gate Fastener 
A simple and effective gate fast- 
ener is shown in Fig. 223, which any 



blacksmith can make in a few mo- 
ments' time. It consists of a strip 
of strap iron about J^-inch wide and 
bent in the shape of a U with the stem 
long enough to extend over the gate 
as shown. In the closed end a plain 
iron ring lj4 to 2 inches in diameter 
is hung loosely on a rivet and the 
whole device is screwed firmly to the 
gate post. The ring drops down on 
the rivet and in this position will 
hold the gate securely so that it can 
not be opened until the ring is 
raised by hand. With a little trim- 
ming on the inside edge of the top 
rail of the gate the ring will 
automatically raise up as the gate 
swings shut and then will promptly 
drop into place again. 

Yard Tools 



Small yards should be cleaned and spaded at fre- 
quent intervals in order to keep them free from accumu- 
lations of filth. Many careful poultry 
keepers make it a practice to sweep 
small yards once a week, for which pur- 
pose there is nothing better than a fibre 
brush like the one shown in Fig. 224. 
Where this attention is given, the yards 
will look better, smell better and keep 
in much more wholesome condition. 

Once a month is not too often to 
spade the yards if they are quite small. 
It is not necessary to do all the spad- 
ing at once, but a spading fork like the 
one shown in Fig. 224 should be kept 
handy and a small portion of the ground 
spaded from day to day. The fowls 
will appreciate the worms that will 
be turned up. and if the prac- 
tice is formed of sprinkling a small amount of grain over 
the ground before spading (oats are excellent for this pur- 




FIG. 223. 

SIMPLE GATE 

FASTENER 




^^feM«*! 



BROOM AND SPADING FORK FOR KEEPING YARDS CLEAN 



EXTERIOR FIXTURES AND GENERAL EQUIPMENT 



107 







^ f 



considered merely temporary however, every effort being 
made to get some fruit trees growing in the yards as soon 
as possible. Fruit trees provide the best of shade and 
will soon prove a source of additional income as well. 

MISCELLANEOUS OUTSIDE EQUIPMENT 

Omit None of These Articles of Equipment That Can Be 

Used to Good Advantage. They Save 

Time and Strength. 

It does not pay to abuse broody hens; neither does 
it pay to allow them to continue sitting indefinitely before 
breaking them up. If taken in hand as soon as broodi- 



jU I'iiciTKCTtiK 



pose) the fowls will get double enjoyment out of it. If 
they do not find some of the grain until after it sprouts, 
so much the better. 




Flu. 22G— A COlJL SPOT ON A HOT DAY 

Green Food Protector 
In small yards it often is desirable to use a frame such 
as is shown in Fig. 225 for protecting small plots of 
green stuflf so that the fowls can help themselves to the 
leaves when they reach the proper height, but which will 
keep them from trampling over the plants, scratching 
them out or killing them off by pick- 
ing out the tender green hearts as 
they almost invariably do when 
given the opportunity. Make the 
frame of any convenient size, using 
boards 6 to 8 inches wide for the 
sides and covering with 1-inch poul- 
try netting, using sufficient cross 
pieces to hold the wire at the proper 
height. 

Shade for Bare Yards 

It is not as clearly understood as 
it should "be that fowls and chicks 
sirffer greatly from extreme heat — 
more so, perhaps, than from cold, 
and it is not only an act of hu- 
manity, but a source of added profit 
as well, to provide for their comfort 
during the hot weather by seeing to 
it that they have plenty of shade. 
Where there is no natural shade it is 
necessary to provide it in some ar- 
tificial manner. Almost anything 
will answer, though in permanent 
yards it pays to set up substan- 
tial shelters, such as the one shown 
in Fig. 226. These shelters should be 




FIG. 227— OUTDOOR COOP FOR BROODING HE.N.S 

ness develops they can be broken up more quickly and 
will be ready to start laying again in much shorter time 
than will be the case if they are allowed to sit for several 
days before being placed in confinement. The best way 
to break them up is to confine them to a suitable coop 
such as the one shown in Fig. 227. 

In warm weather it is more satisfactory, as a rule, 
to have the broody hens confined to these outdoor coops 
rather than indoor coops such as are illustrated on page 
9L This outdoor coop is used and recommended by 
the Missouri State Poultry Experiment Station, and its 




FIG. 228 — OUTDOOR FEED HOPPER 
fi'om United States Department of Agriculture. 



108 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



construction is easily understood from the illustration. 
The bottom is slatted so that the fowls cannot sit on the 
floor and so that the droppings will fall to the ground, 
thus avoiding the necessity for frequent cleaning. The 
top is made movable so that it can be lifted off to change 
the hens or to clean and disinfect when that becomes 
necessary. If placed under a tree or open shed the hens 
will be quite comfortable, and if well fed will soon be 
ready to resume laying again. 

Labor-Saving Watering Device 

Where large numbers of fowls are to be watered, and 
a water tap is available, a convenient, labor-saving method 

is to provide a 
barrel with an 
ordinary wooden 
faucet near the 
1> o 1 1 o m, a r - 
ranged to drip 
into an earthen- 
ware crock, gal- 
\anized pan, or 
trough of suita- 
l>le size (see Fig. 
229), from which 
the fowls drink. 
The barrel is 
tilled by means 
"f a hose and 
the faucet is set 
to drip just fast 
enough to meet 
the requirements 
of the fowls. 
Where water has 
to be hauled and 
practicable to 
diich is -attached 
a suitable tank. 




WATERING DKVlLE 



waste must be avoided it 
use a regular hog-watering device 
to the bottom of a barrel, oi 
and provided with a float by means of which a fresh sup- 
ply is turned on whenever the water in the drinking cup 
is lowered to a certain level. 

Outdoor Feed Hopper 

The feed hopper for grain and mash, illustrated in 
Fig. 228 is especially designed for outdoor use. It can 

be made in any desired size, but for 

use on the range should be large 
enough to hold two or three weeks' 
supply of feed at a time in order to 
avoid frequent refilling. The com- 
partments can be adjusted as to num- 
ber and size according to individual 
requirements. The extended sides 
and top protect the feed trough from 
both wind and rain, and the top is 
covered with a good grade of pre- 
pared roofing. Top is fastened in 
place with hooks so that it cannot 
blow off. In illustration, one side of fig. 

roof is unhooked and set aside to 

show interior construction and the middle supports that 
prevent roof from bending out of shape. 

A Box for Carrying Fowls 

Another useful, in fact almost indispensable article 
around the poultry yard, is a carrying box or crate. It 
often is necessary, especially where one is somewhat 




cramped for room, to change young stock from one yard 
or house to another, separate pullets from cockerels, or 
double up yards in order to make room for others. With- 
out a carrying crate the poultryman is obliged to carry 
the fowls by the 
legs, five or six 
at a time, which 
not only tends 
to make them 
wild, but there 
is danger of in- 
juring many fine 
birds. With this 
crate, which has 
a small door or 
a loose lath in 
the top, a dozen 
or more can be 
caught at a time 

and transferred j,,,,, , ,„„kn uvs.vcK SPKA VKR F. .K 
iwherever they DISINFECTING AND GENERAL, 

are. wanted, and SPRAYING 

this can be done 

quietly and rapidly without injury to the birds and with 
much less labor than carrying them in the usual way. 

A Sparrow Trap 

In many localities sparrows are a source of con- 
tinual loss to poultry keepers. Often clouds of them 
will regularly visit outside feeding places, especially 
where chicks are fed, and will go through inch-mesh win- 
dow netting, to get at indoor feed hoppers. As poison- 
ing is unsafe because of the danger to fowls, about the 
only means of exterminating them is by the use of traps. 
The one shown in Fig. 232 is practical and convenient. 

This trap is made of galvanized wire cloth, or half 
inch poultry nettingJ|As here illustrated is about a yard 
in length, and 15 to^B inches high and wide. The ends 
of the trap are bent in as shown, and provided with a 
3-inch hole next to the ground. About this hole sharp- 
ened wire spurs are bent in so that while the birds have 
no trouble in passing through, it is impossible for them 
to fly out again. The white spot near the center of the 
trap is a piece of bread, used as bait. This trap is to be 
set on the ground on the lawn or in the poultry yard, 
and its efficiency will be increased if two or three spar- 
rows always are left in it as decoys. 




231— .SIMPLE CARRYING CRATE FOR FOWLS 

Wheelbarrows and Carts 
A good wheelbarrow is an essential article of equip- 
ment on every poultry plant, and there is no economy in 
tiying to get along without it. One with a flat bottom 
and removable sides is much better adapted to the poul- 
try keeper's requirements than the cheaper kind with 
sloping bottom made for handling dirt, sand, etc. Hand- 



EXTERIOR FIXTURES AND GENERAL EQUIPMENT 



109 



'^p^iis^is^iyy^-'^^^**^ ' '^- 


H'^ 


■)^ -.;ii^^^M|g^'S^fe^ 


H^Hh^^GI 


im 


H^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^I^^^^HtfltSf^^^^^'*^ 


ai 


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^K^ 


B 


^^^^B 


1 


^H^^fewri'i"' - -' -' -S 


^H 


H^*^^ ' ^^^ 


sSs^JllHiil 


l^p? "^^^^ 


I^^I^^B 


■i.. i^<iM 


H 


^^^^HHK^ vi^i,,-; ^^^^^^ 


^^^^v 


IHBHfeB-feRa^S?'?'? 


^Pf-t^,- 



FIG. 232— SPARROW TI;a1' 
Photo from Rural New Yorker. 

ling feed, litter, droppings, etc., in this way saves a great 
deal of hard labor. For this reason all doors and gates 
should be so planned as to make the use of a ^v-heel- 
barrow possible. Generally where there are baseboards 
running under doors, these should be movable and held 
in place by cleats or otherwise, so that they can be taken 
out when necessary. ''■ 

Under many conditions a two-wheeled push cart will 
be found very convenient, as it requires less labor than 
handling a similar weight on a wheelbarrow. If only 
one of these implements can be provided, the latter will 
be more generally useful, but the cart also is very de- 
sirable and on larger poultry plants should always form 
a regular part of the equipment. 

Sprayers for Disinfecting and Whitewashing 

Every poultry plant should be provided with some 
convenient means of spraying disinfectants, also for 
whitewashing. It is not only much more convenient to 
do this work with a sprayer than by the use of a brush, 
but the work can be more thoroughly done. For use 
about the poultry house the hand-sprayer shown in Fig. 
233, or the knapsack sprayer shown in Fig. 230, are 
practical, and low enough in cost so that everyone who 

keeps fowls can 
afford to have 
them. For large 
poultry p 1 a nt s, 
barrel outfits such 
as shown in Fig. 
234 will be found 
more powerful and 
rapid. These 

sprayers serve a 
double purpose 
since every poul- 
try keeper has or 

233-HAND SPRAYERS FOR ^'^""''^ ^'"^''^ ^■'^- 

DISINFECTANTS '"'ous fruit crop- 




growing on the land and these require regular spraying 
in order to give best results. 

The Use of Disinfectants 

Disinfection should be looked upon as a preventive 
— as insurance against disease, rather than a remedy to 
be resorted to after disease has broken out. This import- 
ant detail of poultry work usually is greatly neglected 
on the average poultry plant however, because, as or- 
dinarily done, it is a laborious and most unpleasant job. 
The best way to guard against neglecting it is to make 
it as easy and as convenient as possible to do the work. 
Get a good spraying outfit and keep suitable spraying 
materials on hand, mixed ready for instant use. 

Whitewash. For fences, small coops, runs, etc., also 
for interiors, whitewash is desirable and . low in cost. 
With the spraying outfit shown in Fig. 234. it can be 
easily and quickly applied. Whitewash brightens up 
dark interiors surprisingly, but as usuallv made and ap- 
plied, it rubs off readily and scales, so that a house white- 
washed a few times presents a decidedly unattractive ap- 
pearance unless thoroughly scraped and cleaned, which 
few persons ever take the trouble to do. For_ use with 
sprayers, whitewash must be carefully strained and it is 
desirable to have a special non-clogging nozzle. Formu- 
las and directions for making whitewash will be found 
on pages 23 and 24. 

Fumigation. This method of disinfection is effective 
only when the building to be treated can be tightly 
closed so that the interior may be subjected to the ac- 




FIG. 234— BARREL SPRAYERS FOR WHITEWASH 
AND OTHER DISINFECTANTS 

tion of the fumes for a period of several hours, which 
rarely is possible in the case of poultry houses. For ex- 
terminating red mites carbon disulphide often is used 
in small buildings and coops with excellent results, but 
for combating disease germs fumigation is of little prac- 
tical value in the average poultry house. 

Disinfectants. The various coal tar disinfectants on 
the market are excellent for all disinfecting purposes. 
They are comparatively cheap and are easily prepared, 
as it is only necessary to add the proper amount of water 
to the disinfectant as purchased. Coal tar disinfectants 
are effective against lice and mites as well as disease 
germs, and if used" frequently about the perches, nests, 
etc., these pests will never make any serious trouble. 

If for any reason the poultry keeper desires to make 
his own disinfecting solution, he cannot do better than 
provide the "cresol disinfectant" which is highly recom- 
mended by the Maine Experiment Station. The method 
for making this is described in Bulletin 179, as follows: 

"The active base of cresol soap disinfecting solution 
is commercial cresol. This is a thick, sirupy fluid vary- 
ing in color in different lots from nearly a colorless 
fluid to dark brown. It does not mix readily with water 



110 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



and, therefore, in order to make a satisfactory dilute so- 
lution, it is necessary first to incorporate the cresol with 
some substance like soap which will mix with water and 
will carry the cresol over into the mixture. The com- 
mercial cresol, as it is obtained, is a corrosive substance, 
being in this respect not unlike carbolic acid. It should, 
of course, be handled with great care and the pure 
cresol should not be allowed to come in contact with the 
skin. If it does so accidentally, the spot shtjuld be im- 
mediately washed off with plenty of clean water. 

Measure out 3 US quarts of raw linseed oil in a 4 
or 5-gallon stone crock; then weigh out in a dish 1 lb. 
6 oz. of commercial lye or "Babbit's potash." Dissolve 
this lye in as little water as will completely dissolve it. 
Start with Yz pint of water, and if this will not dissolve 




PIG. 235 — CONCRETE CREMATORY 
Photo from Maine Experiment Station. 

all the lye, add more water slowly. Let this stand for at 
least 3 hours until the lye is completely dissolved and 
the solution is cold; then add the cold lye solution very 
slowly to the linseed oil, stirring constantly. Not less 
than S minutes should be taken for the adding of this 
solution of lye to the oil. After the lye is added con- 
tinue the stirring until the mixture is in the condition 
and has the texture of a smooth homogeneous liquid 
soap. This ought not to take more than a half hour. 
Then while the soap is in this liquid state, and before 
it has a chance to harden, add, with constant stirring, 
8^ quarts of commercial cresol. The cresol will blend 
perfectly with the soap solution and make a clear, dark 
brown fluid. The resulting solution will mix in any 
proportion with water and yield a clear solution. 

Cresol soap is an extremely powerful disinfectant. 
For general disinfecting, such as houses, incubators, 
nests, and other wood work, it should be used in a 3 per 
cent solution with water. Two or three tablespocnfuls 
of the cresol soap to each gallon of water will make a 
satisfactory solution. This solution may be applied 
through any kind of spray pump or with a brush. Being 



a clear watery fluid it can be used in spray pumps with- 
out difficulty. For disinfecting brooders or incubators 
which there is reason to believe have been particularly 
liable to infection with the germs of white diarrhea or 
other diseases, the cresol may be used in double stren,gth, 
and applied with a scrub brush in addition to the spray. 

A CREMATORY 

Dispose of All Dead Chicks and Fowls By Burning Them, 

and Thus Avoid the Spread of Disease. 

By DR. R.WMOND PE.VRL * 

On every poultry plant and around every farm there 
is bound to occur, from time to time, a greater or less 
number of deaths of chicks and adult fowls from disease 
or other natural causes. The only really sanitary method 
of dealing with these dead bodies is 
to incinerate them. The difficulty 
of doing this is that the poultryman 
or farmer usually does not have any 
suitable source of heat ready at all 
times. To meet this requirement 
there has recently been devised the 
small crematory here described, and 
illustrated in Fig. 235. This crem- 
atory consists of a cement base or 
fire box, bearing on its top a series. 
of grate bars which in turn are cov- 
ered by a cremating box or oven in 
which the material to be incinerated 
is placed. The crematory here de- 
scribed is large enough to take care 
of all the needs of a plant carrying 
1,000 head of adult stock, raismg 
3000 to 4000 chickens annually and in . 
which a good deal of anatomical and 
physiological research is going on. 

In building, an excavation was 
first made for the base, in jfcich a 
lot of loose stones and gr^^ were 
placed, in order to secure adequate 
drainage below the cement. On top 
of this the cement base and fire box 
were made. The base consists of a 
rectangular box made of cement, 
open at the top and with a small 
opening in front through which the 
fire is fed and which serves as a 
draught. The walls are about 6 inches thick. The inside 
dimensions of fire box being 2 foot 3 inches by 1 foot 
9^ inches by 1 foot 4 inches. Across top of fire box there 
were laid, while the cement was still soft, some old grate 
bars from a small steam boiler which had been dis- 
carded. These were set close together and held firmly 
in place when the cement hardened. They form the 
grate on which the material to be incinerated is thrown. 
The incinerating chamber was made from galvanized 
iron by a local tinsmith. This consists of a rectangular 
box 2 feet 2 inches long, 1 foot- 10 inches wide, and 1 
foot 6 inches high. In the top is cut a round hole 12 
inches in diameter, which is protected by a hinged cover 
15 inches by 14i/^ inches. This galvanized box has no 
bottom. It is placed on top of the grate bars and held 
firmly in place by cement worked up around its lower 
edges. At the back of this iron cremating box is an 
opening for a stove pipe which is necessary in order to 
.give the proper draught. A wooden box is provided 
which sets over the galvanized portion to protect it from 
the weather when not in use. 



Condensed fr 



Maine Station Bulletin No. 21fi. 



I N D EX 



Administration Building for Larse Plants 84 

Air Space Required for Fowls 11 

Anchoring the Poultry House 16 

Back-Yard Poultry Keeping, Neatness in 25 

Back-Yard Poultry Plant, Laying Out the 25 

Baffler. Cornell Wind 21 

Box for Carrying Fowls 108 

Breeding House, Convenient Eight-Pen 62 

for Mild Climates .• 63 

One-Pen 57 

Small Two-Pen 57 

Brooder House, Comb. Hot Water and Colony Hover 75 

for Lamp-Heated Hovers 71 

Massachusetts Open Pipe 73 

Single Compartment Colony Hover 77 

Two-Compartment Colony Hover _. 77 

with Underneath Heating System 74 

Brooding Houses, Capacity of Colony Hover 78 

Construction, Details of House Design and 11 

Coop, Drying 89 

Coop for Broody Hens 107 

Cost of Building 11 

Crates. Fattening 87 

Crematory, A 110 

Cresol Disinfectant 109 

Curtain-Front Poultry House for 100 Fowls 35 

Curtain.«. Muslin Shutters and 19 

Design and Construction, Details of 11 

Dimensions of the Laying House 12 

Direct Sunlight in Poultry House 13 

Disinfectants, The Use of 109 

Door Fastener, Handy 101 

Doors and Windows 18 

Doors, Yard 18 

Double Yarding Plan 104 

Drafts in Small Houses, Preventing 33 

Droppings Platforms and Nests 92 

Dust Bath, A Portable 101 

Eaves, Finishing the 17 

Equipment, Miscellaneous Outside 107 

Feeder, An Automatic 99 

Feed and Water Wagon ^.i. 105 

HqaRer. Outdoor :1 108 

Hotwe, Combination Laying and 83 

Hfuise, Equipment for the 83 

Troughs and Hoppers 97 

Fences, Building Poultry 104 

Floors, Board 15 

Clay 14 

Concrete 14 

Concrete Slab - 14 

Earth 14 

Foundation. Concrete 13 

Foundation. Squaring the 13 

Framing the Poultry House 15 

Fumigation 109 

Gate Fastener .~ 106 

Green Feed Holder 98 

Green Feed Protector 107 

Hardware 23 

Homemade Appliances 101 

Hook for Catching Fowls 101 

Hook for Moving House 65 

Hoppers, Compartment 98 

Hopper for Mash or Grain, A Simple Feed 98 

Hoppers. Feed 97 

Hospital for Sick Fowls 90 

House. A Cockerel 88 

An Attractive Piano Box 68 

and Run Combined, Portable 69 

A-Shaped Back-Yard 31 

Building Block 64 

Canadian Farm Poultry 55 

Combination Incubator and Brooder 82 

Combination Laying and Feed . 83 

Concrete Poultry 55 

Cornell Model Poultry 41 

Elevated Poultry 27 

for Adult Fowls or Bantams 28 

for Cold Climates. A Laying 45 

for Extreme South • 49 



House for 100 Fowl-, t'ui tam-Fi ont LaMng 35 

for Twenty Fowls 29 

for Warm Clim.ates, A Laying 47 

Gable Roof Portable 65 

Inexpensive Back-Yaid Poultij 33 

in Morristown (Tenn ) District 48 

Large Semi-Monitoi 52 

Low-Cost Piano Box 69 

Maine Station 34 

Mammoth Incubatoi 81 

Minnesota Model 58 

Missouri Poultrj • 43 

New England La\ ing 40 

Open-Front La>ing 49 

Scratching Shed 34 

Sectional Colony ' 67 

Sled-Runner Colony 66 

Six Compartment Laying ^ 38 

Straw-Loft Laying 45 

Straw Poultry 56 

Two-Pen Back-Y'ard Poultry 29 

Western Washington Poultry 53 

With Elevated Floor 53 

With Semi-Monitor Roof 50 

Houses, Other Warm Climate 48 

Houses for Adult Fowls, Location of 10 

Illuminating Poultry Houses 103 

Incubator House, A Small 80 

Incubator House, How to Build 79 

Intensive or Extensive Methods 7 

Layout for Large Poultry Plant 8 

Layout for One Man Poultry Farm 10 

Locating Poultry Houses 7 

Low-Cost Houses, Building 37 

Lumber, How to Order 12 

Manure Pit for the Laying House 92 

Manure Shed, Concrete 90 

Mash Pail, 100 

Materials to Use 12 

Nest, Orange Box 94 

Platform :. 94 

Sectional 94 

The Connecticut Trap 95 

The "Gravity" Trap 9fi 

Wall '. 94 

Nests, Trap 94 

Oat Sprouting Equipment 102 

Open-Front Laying House 49 

Paint 23 

Partitions 92 

Passageways and Partitions 91 

Perch Supports 93 

Permanent Brooder Houses, Advantages of 70 

Planning co Save Labor 9 

Portable Houses, Advantages of 65 

Rats and Mice, A Safe Way to Poison 101 

Roofs, Different Types of Poultry House 16 

Roosting Closets 93 

Runs and Yards 104 

Shade for Bare Yards :: 107 

Shutters and Curtains, Muslin 19 

Laying House With Divided 21 

Substitutes for 20 

Sparrow Trap 108 

Sprayers for Disinfecting ...r. 109 

Straw Lofts 21 

Temporary Poultry Houses, Building 22 

Tools 24 

Trolley Feed Carrier 100 

Ventilating System, King 22 

Ventilator, Rear Wall 21 

Walls, Constructing the 16 

Watering Device, Labor Saving 108 

Water Vessels : , 101 

Wheelbarrows and Carts 108 

Whitewash Formula 24 

Whitewash, The Use of 109 

Windows and Doors 18 

Yardroom Required, Amount of 104 

Yards, Advantages of Double ....104 

Yard Tools lOS 



BOOKS FOR POULTRY KEEPERS 

R^HE sixteen reference books in the R. P. J. Poultry Library — 
\\D\ published in Two Series— are designed expressly to meet the 
\^SA need for reliable, up-to-date information on all branches of the 
poultry industry. One series consists of books devoted to 
PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPING, for those who wish to engage 
in the profitable production of market poultry and eggs. The BREED 
BOOKS describe breeds and varieties, and give complete information 
on how to breed and rear superior-quality exhibition fowls. Read the 
titles! As an earnest, practical poultry keeper, can you afford to do 
without at least some of these Truly Helpful Books? 

Seven Practical Poultry Books 

All About the Profitable Production of Market Poultry and Eggs 



ARTIFICIAL, INCUBATING AND BROODING — 

New and enlarged edition just off the press. Com- 
pletely revised, down-to-date and full of helpful in- 
formation on how to operate incubators successfully 
and how to raise the chicks after they are hatched. 
Worth many times its price to anyone who raises 
chicks. 112 pages, 9x12 inches, illustrated. Price *1.00. 

POITLTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES — New edi- 
tion completely rewritten and brought down-to-date. 
The most complete book on the subject. Over two 
hundred helpful illustrations. Plans for houses to 
meet every practical requirement. Special chapters 
on planning and building, also on interior and ex- 
terior fixtures and general poultry-plant equipment. 
112 pages, 9x12 inches. Price Jfl.OO. 

SUCCESSFUl, POULTRY KEEPING — Size of book 
9x12 inches, 176 pages, profusely illustrated. Treats 
on such subjects as: The Poultry Industry; Value of 
Standard-Bred Fowls; Starting in Poultry Business; 
Incubating and Brooding; Market Poultry and Eggs; 
Turkeys, Geese, Ducks, etc. Price $1.00. 



EGGS .\ND EGG F.\RMS — Size of book 9x12 
inches, 96 pages, well illustrated. Special subjects 
treated are: The Egg Industry; Successful Egg Pro- 
duction; Leading Breeds; Egg Markets; Supplying 
Private Trade; Breeding and Feeding for Eggs; Win- 
ter Egg Production; Egg Farms, etc. Price 50c. 

THE CHICK BOOK — Size 9x12 inches, 80 pages, 
attractively illustrated. Following is a partial list 
of subjects: Selecting Breeding Stock; Hatching and 
Rearing Chicks bv Natural and Artificial Methods; 
Feeding and Care of Young Chicks; Day-Old Chick 
Business; Marketing Poultry, etc. Price 50c. 

RELIABLE POULTRY REMEDIES— Plainly de- 
scribes symptoms of diseases and gives practical 
home remedies. Special attention to prevention of 
disease. 86 pages, 6x9 inches. Price 25c. 

EGG RECORD AND ACCOUNT BOOK — A simple 
method of keeping accurate poultry accounts. How 
much do you make from your poultry? It is easy 
to tell exactly what your fowls are doing if you use 
this system of keeping accounts. Price 35c. 



Nine Valuable Breed Books 

They Tell How to Succeed in Mating, Rearing, and Exhibiting Standard Fowls 



THE PLYMOUTH ROCKS— Barred, White, Buff, 
Silver Penciled, Partridge. Columbian. A complete 
and authoritative text book and instructive treatise. 
Color plates. 160 pp., 9x12 inches. Price $1.00. 

THE WY.4NDOTTES — Silver, Golden, White, Buff, 
Black, Penciled. Partridge, Columbian. An excellent 
breed book devoted to the Wyandotte family. Color 
plates by Sewell. 160 pp., 9x12 inches. Price $1.00. 

THE LEGHORNS — All varieties. Most complete 
book ever written about Leghorns. Color plates by 
Sewell and Schilling. 144 pp.. 9x12 inches. Price $1.00. 

THE ORPINGTONS — All varieties. An instructive 
book which tells how to select and mate for best 
results. Color plate by Sewell. 80 pp. Price 75c. 



THE ASI.\TICS — Brahmas, Cochins and Langshans. 
Information on mating, breeding, exhibiting, etc. 
Color plates by Sewell, 100 pp., 9x12 inches. Price 50c. 

THE CAMPINES — Silver and Golden. The largest 
and most profusely illustrated work on this breed. 
Color plate by Sewell. 88 pp.. 9x12 inches. Price 75c. 

DUCKS AND GEESE — A guide to profitable duck 
and goose rearing. Articles by foremost breeders. 
Well illustrated. 104 pp., 9x12 inches. Price 75c. 

RHODE ISLAND REDS — Rose and Single Comb. 
The most complete and authoritative book on "Reds." 
Color plate by Sewell. 88 pp., 9x12 inches. Price 75c. 

TURKEYS — Their Care and Management. How to 
mate, rear, exhibit, and market. Beautiful color plate 
by Sewell. 96 pp., 9x12 inches. Price 75c. 



THE RELIABLE POULTRY JOURNAL 

GRANT M. CURTIS, Editor 

THE ■WORLD'S GREATE'ST MONTHLY POULTRY MAGAZINE! Encli year it (lives 
OTCr 1200 psiKCs of practical <lo«n-to-tlie-niinute information treatinR on every import- 
ant pliase of tlie poultry indu-stry. Every montli it contain.^ important articles written 
l>v foremo.st poultry keepers, breeders. JudKCs, etc.. and illustrated by the itreatest livine 
rttsts. There are SPECIAL DEP.VRTMENTS on Practical Poultry Keeping;. Back- 
Itry Keepinit. Monthly Calendar, etc. Xo one >vho keeps fowls can afford to miss 
ngie issue of this unequalled poultry Journal. Subscription price is only 50c a year. 



poultr 



SPCGlAb 



Save Money By Including a Subscription to Reliable Poultry Journal With Your 

Book Order. Add 35c to the price of any book listed at 25 cents, or add 25 cents 

to the price of any book listed at 50 cents or over, and get a full year's subscrip- 

On Canadian subscriptions add 25c extra for postage, and 50c on foreign subscriptions. 



The Reliable Poultry Journal Publishing Co., Quincy, Illinois 



v..^ 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



002 839 880 3 '% 



